Goals: Conlon (pen) 90′ – Allen 13′, 40′; Gauvain 65′.

Guernsey delivered a near-perfect away performance in Kent on Tuesday night to achieve one of their most impressive ever results on the road.

Hosts Ashford United controlled possession, but the Green Lions’ defensive shape and discipline meant that they could dictate how the game panned out. Ashford couldn’t find a way through a stubborn defence – protected excellently by the returning Simon Geall and Angus Mackay – and were clinical when they created chances.

The home side required a stoppage-time penalty to salvage some consolation, the only blot on the Sarnians’ copybook for the evening as they registered a first victory over Ashford in five attempts.

Two opportune first-half strikes from the in-form Ross Allen, who is now on double figures for the season and just one shy of 250 career goals for GFC, and another stunner from Charlton Gauvain around the hour mark did the job for a Guernsey team missing several big names. Geall and Mackay were making their first starts of the season and Tom Jackson made his full debut on the left wing after a couple of eye-catching substitute appearances already this season. Tony Vance was also able to give debuts from the bench to Tyler McKane and Louis Graham. With all the youth coming through, it was the old guard of Tom Strawbridge and Jamie Dodd with Geall and Mackay in front of them that set the foundations for the win.

When Guernsey did get possession in their opponents’ half, they sprang to life. Gauvain flashed a dangerous delivery across goal inside two minutes, while Tashie Kwayie miscued wide at the other inside five.

Simon Geall even came close to a goal as his flick-on from Dodd’s whipped delivery whistled just beyond the far post.

Allen had looked threatening already, and grabbed the opener on 13 minutes thanks to his own endeavours. His pressure prevented the easy clearance of a high ball from his marker and he was able to take possession and shoot. It was blocked, but Mackay picked up the loose ball and slipped it back to the number 10, who chopped and turned in classic Allen style before firing low past Sam Mott into the far corner from the edge of the area.

The offside flag denied him a second on 18 minutes as he strayed just ahead of the last defender in the six-yard box after Gauvain and combined with Harry Tobin and crossed low. Kwayie’s effort was also chalked off as Jay May had fouled Callum Stanton as he went for a cross.

Mott then stretched just enough to turn behind an early deflected shot from Allen, after he had again been picked out by Gauvain.

Guernsey’s defensive nous meant Stanton wasn’t called upon to make a meaningful save until the 35th minute, when he rushed out to narrow the angle and block with his legs on a rare occasion where Aaron Condon broke through the backline.

Allen fizzed a shot narrowly wide from just outside the box on 37 minutes, but he wasn’t to be denied his brace three minutes later as another high press saw Tobin win the ball back. Jackson took up possession and slotted Allen in with a perfectly-weighted pass, with the number 10 firing under Mott with his left foot into the near corner.

It was a relatively quiet start to the second half, which is just how the visitors wanted it, and they got a third as the half edged towards its midway point – and it was a peach of a finish from yet another high press.

Three Guernsey players swarmed around Lee Prescott to seize the ball off him and Allen drove forward toward the area, then finding Gauvain on the left corner of the area. The midfielder then picked out the far top corner with a stunning effort over Mott, not too dissimilar to Will Fazakerley’s second goal against East Grinstead Town in August.

Ashford were being restricted to efforts from range with Jay May firing just over and substitute David Smith volleying well wide. Stanton twice went down to his left to deny low efforts from outside the area by Conlon and Smith in the closing stages and got fingertips to another rising drive, but was unable to get the clean sheet he and his side deserved as Ashford grabbed a consolation as the game ticked into injury time.

Perhaps just as desperate for a clean sheet, Keanu Marsh instinctively threw out a hand on the goal-line to keep out a goal bound effort, leaving the referee with no choice but to award a spot-kick and produce the red card. Conlon dispatched it, but it couldn’t take the shine off a fanatic night for the Green Lions, who remain eighth in Isthmian South East but are just one point outside the play-offs.

Tuesday’s other results were as follows: Whitstable Town 1-3 Hastings United, Whyteleafe 2-1 Sittingbourne.

Ashford United: Sam Mott (c), Jerald Aboagye, Jake McIntyre, Danny Walder, Matthew Bourne, Mo Kamara, Lee Prescott, Tom O’Connor (David Smith HT), Jay May (Levi Gold 88′), Tashi Kwayie, Aaron Condon. Not used: Lee Hook, Theo Osinfolarin, Benjamin Binder.