Goals: Webster 42’; Walder 65’ – Allen (pen) 45‘.

Storm Dennis played its part at the Reachfields Stadium on Saturday as a wind-assisted second-half goal ensured Guernsey didn’t get any reward for their efforts against Hythe Town.

The Green Lions drew plenty of plaudits for a good performance and perhaps deserved to leave Kent with something to show for the chances they created. Despite playing into the strong gale in the second half, Tony Vance’s side kept playing their football but couldn’t find a leveller after the wind had helped blow Danny Walder’s corner straight into Callum Stanton’s net.

Even before kick-off it was clear to see both sides were in for a difficult game due to the weather, with the ball refused to stay still on the centre spot as Will Fazakerley, restored to the starting line-up for the first time since injury, waited to take kick off. Three minutes in, Tom Strawbridge had to pin the ball down so it would stay still for Stanton to take a free-kick.

The Cannons fired the first shot at goal as Darren Oldaker missed the target from Charlie Webster’s cutback, while the gale caught Ross Allen’s drive over just after the quarter-hour mark to help it well over the top.

Tom De La Mare stood his ground to block from Frannie Colliin shortly before the half-hour, but Guernsey were dealing well with playing into the wind and kept playing neat football. One such incident, when the ball travelled amongst most of the team before Matt Loaring played in Carlos Canha, who curled just over the bar. Liam Mahon was then able to keep his 25-yarder down but Will Godman scooped it up.

Stanton was called into action on 38 minutes, getting down quickly to deny Jamie Coyle smartly at the far post after the Hythe defender had met a swirling corner, and moments later Oldaker was denied by the offside flag as he ran onto a flick-on and tucked the ball into the far corner.

But the hosts did get the breakthrough four minutes before the break. It came from another corner after De La Mare’s clearance had been blown off course and behind by the relentless gale. The delivery eventually found an unmarked Webster at the far post, and his low volley found the gap between Stanton and his left-hand post.

Guernsey responded immediately and got themselves level on the stroke of half-time. Canha’s initial shot was blocked and in the resulting scramble on the edge of the area, the ball struck the arm of a defender, resulting in a penalty. Allen’s effort from 12 yards was emphatic as he arrowed it into the top-right corner with Godman going the other way. A timely equaliser as there was barely time to kick off before the half-time whistle went.

Canha was forced off injured at half-time as a result of the scramble that led to the penalty. His replacement Robbie Legg almost had an instant impact as he ran onto Fazakerley’s flick-on, cut inside and narrowly missed the far corner with a curling effort.

Guernsey resisted the temptation to play direct with the wind behind them and continued to create chances. Keanu Marsh’s endeavour eventually worked a chance for Mahon, whose shot was blocked – although there was a shout for a penalty in the build-up as Legg appeared to be caught has he played the ball.

Collin blazed high and wide from a good position, while Fazakerley – whose strong running from the right caused plenty of problems during the second half, drove into the area but couldn’t get enough on his shot to find the right angle.

It was nearly midway through the half when Storm Dennis really made its mark. Walder made good use of the wind, sending his in-swinging corner right into the six-yard box, where the wind helped blow it beyond Stanton. There were appeals from the Green Lions that their stopper had been impeded by an attacker, but the referee disagreed and the goal stood.

The Sarnians refused to let that setback deter them and Allen came within inches of getting themselves level again straight away. Standing over a free-kick inside the D, he did brilliantly to get the ball up over the wall and back down, but with Godman beaten, the ball smacked the crossbar.

Tom Walmsley had Stanton scrambling to his left with a shot outside the area that flew just wide, while De La Mare slotted a pass through to Fazakerley for a shot that was deflected behind.

Allen continually dropped back in the second half to orchestrate attacks from deep and it had been extremely effective. It was he who almost snatched an equaliser in the dying moments with a left-footed curler from outside the area. It looked for a moment like it might just evade Godman’s grasp, but the Cannons stopper plucked it out the air in the nick of time.

Guernsey dropped to ninth in Isthmian South East on a day where the weather caused nearly half the fixtures to be called off. The other results were as follows: Ashford United 1-1 Haywards Heath Town, Burgess Hill Town 4-2 Three Bridges, Herne Bay 0-1 VCD Athletic, Ramsgate 2-2 Whitehawk, Whyteleafe 3-1 Faversham Town.

Hythe Town: 1 William Godmon, 2 Kaka Dembele, 3 Nathan Gordon, 4 James Rogers, 5 Jamie Coyle, 6 Tom Wynter, 7 Charlie Webster (17 Jarred Trespardne 89’), 8 Danny Walder, 9 Tom Walmsley, 10 Frannie Colling, 11 Darren Oldaker (12 Alex Brown 77’). Not used: 14 Thomas Murphy, 15 Paul Booth, 16 Jacob Brown.

Booked: Walder.