Goals: Loaring 2′; Allen (pen) 70′ – Stanton OG 39′; Strawbridge OG 42′; Ansah (pen) 45+4′.

Guernsey’s 400th competitive match was not one for celebration as Zak Ansah’s third penalty in two games against the Green Lions ensured Herne Bay took the points from Footes Lane on Saturday.

A 10-minute turnaround at the end of the first half saw two own goals as well as the spotkick cancel out Matt Loaring’s early opener.

Ross Allen ended a six-game scoring drought to register his milestone 250th goal for the club, also from the penalty spot, as the Green Lions tried to fight back in the second half.

Tony Vance’s side were on the back foot even before kick-off as a thigh injury for Harry Tobin in the warm up meant Louis Graham was thrust into action at short notice for his full debut.

But it didn’t deter GFC early on as they raced In front within moments of Callum Stanton denying Tushaun-Tyreece Walters. The hosts countered and Allen’s curling, dipping shot from outside the area was too much for George Kamurasi to hold. Loaring got to the rebound first and from the tightest of angles squeezed the ball across goal into the far corner via the post.

The Green Lions were in the mood, with Liam Mahon dragging a potshot wide of the far post and Carlos Canha drilling wide at the near post after another dangerous home attack was only half cleared.

Stanton kept out Walters three times in two minutes as the home defence had a brief wobble, and Guernsey thought they had doubled their lead on 25 minutes but were denied by the tightest of calls.

Allen’s cross to Keanu Marsh was cut out but the ball fell to Canha, who steadied himself before firing at goal from the angle. Kamurasi saved the effort but the ball bounced off one of his team-mates and rebounded towards goal. Kamurasi stuck out a hand to claw the ball out, with the assistant referee deeming that the ball did not cross the line despite the protests of the home side and the fans behind the goal.

In an entertaining first half, the visitors were then denied by the woodwork, and Stanton might just have got a fingertip to it too, as a high ball into the box was headed back across the six-yard box for Mobolaji Dawodu to head at goal.

Herne Bay had built up a head of steam but there were certainly huge slices of luck involved as they turned the game on its head.

The equaliser on 39 minutes came as Walters skipped into the area and fired a rising drive towards the roof of the net. Stanton stuck out an arm to make a brilliant initial save, turning the ball onto the bar. Unfortunately, it rebounded straight down and hit Stanton’s back while he was still sprawled on the ground, and bounced into the net.

Three minutes later, they led as Dawodu crossed from the right of the area and Tom Strawbridge misjudged the clearance, miss-hitting it into the corner of his own net.

If the whistle had gone there and then, it would have been an ideal time for the Green Lions to regroup. But there was still stoppage-time to play, and enough time for a killer third goal. It looked like Canha had got the better of Walters, but ended up pulling him down. Ansah tucked the ball coolly into the bottom-right corner.

It took a while into the second half for the Green Lions to find their feet again. Before they did, Stanton fielded an effort from Thomas Carlton, who then dragged wide for the edge of the area. Stanton then collected a poorly hit free-kick from Walters, but then gave the ball away from his clearance and was a relieved man as the ball was returned to the area but flew wide.

Stanton foiled Walters again from the edge of the area before Guernsey finally had a slice of luck themselves. Allen chased down a high ball on 69 minutes and was eventually bundled to the ground by a clumsy challenge. He slammed the resulting penalty into the right corner for his milestone goal.

Stanton’s fingertips kept his team in it as he kept out Ansah’s rising drive, but there was to be no real late onslaught from the hosts. The only time they really came close was when Allen missed the left post by inches as he picked up a corner from outside the area and let fly with his left foot.

Steve Renouf came on for a late debut to become the 90th player to represent the Green Lions, but his bright cameo couldn’t help force an equaliser as GFC dropped to 14th in Isthamian South East.

Saturday’s other results were as follows: Ashford United 4-1 Sevenoaks Town, Chichester City 2-0 VCD Athletic, Faversham Town 0-0 Cray Valley, Hastings United 1-0 Haywards Heath Town, Hythe Town 1-0 Sittingbourne, Phoenix Sports 0-3 Three Bridges, Ramsgate 2-4 Burgess Hill Town, Whitstable Town 3-1 East Grinstead Town, Whyteleafe 4-2 Whitehawk.

Herne Bay: 1, George Kamurasi; 2, Ryan Cooper; 3, Patrick Nzuzi; 4, Laurence Harvery (c); 5, Callum Adonis-Taylor; 6, Daniel Lawrence (Chris Saunders 80′); 7, Tushaun-Tyreece Walters (18, Ryan King-Elliott 90); 8, Thomas Carlton; 9, Zak Ansah; 11, Keiron Campbell; 14, Mobolaji Dawodu (17, Daniel Carrington). Not used: Kyron Lightfoot; Simon Kabamba.