Goals: O’Connor 15′, 29′; Smith 41′; Condon 46′; Ossai 76′; Strawbridge OG 83′.

Storm Dennis made way for Storm Ashford on Saturday as Guernsey were blown away by the powerful and relentless Nuts & Bolts at Footes Lane.

In blustery conditions, it was an unfortunate mix of the Green Lions being off the boil and an opponent on very top form. Perhaps against a lesser side, the Sarnians would have been able to dig in and keep them at bay, but there was no stopping the Nuts & Bolts, who were one of the best teams to have visited Footes Lane.

The highly-resoured visitors ruthlessly punished every hesitation or mistake from the hosts. This is one for Tony Vance’s side to file away and forget.

GFC had their moments early on that if they had taken advantage of, the afternoon could have panned out differently. Ross Allen collected a free-kick and saw his low centre deflected into Sam Mott’ grasp, and Matt Loaring’s shot was charged down after Liam Mahon had turned down a presentable opportunity to pull the trigger.

A minute after the latter chance, the ball was in the back of the Guernsey net. New signing George Purcell rose about Keanu Marsh to head a ball down into the path of the onrushing Thomas O’Connor, who smacked a volley past Callum Stanton.

The Green Lions nearly got in for an equaliser within minutes when Will Fazakerley made the most of Ross Allen’s hooked ball forward, forcing his way past Mo Kamara and charging towards goal. As Fazakerley entered the area, he was denied by an outstandingly-timed recovery challenge from Kamara, diverting the ball away when a slightly mistimed lunge would have meant a certain penalty.

Jay May thought he had made it two on 21 minutes as he leapt in the six-yard box to flick a high free-kick towards goal, but Stanton showed great reactions to get down and keep it out with his legs.

Marsh took up possession after good work from Mahon but rolled his shot wide from the edge of the area. After that, it was pretty much one-way traffic until the closing stages of the game.

Just before the half-hour, Ashford doubled their lead, and it was O’Connor again after Andrew Condon attacked the left channel, evaded Tom Strawbridge’s lunge and pulled back for David Smith. He teed up O’Conner, who neatly shifted past another Strawbridge challenge and fired home via a ricochet off Marsh.

The visitors were in full flow now and Stanton was required to beat away at his near post as Thomas Fagg broke through and drove towards goal.

GFC hoped to keep their visitors at bay until half-time so they could regroup, but Smith – who was an early substitute for the injured May and was superb all afternoon – kept his composure on the edge at the far post to steer home from six yard after Guernsey failed to clear their lines.

Even before the break there were more chances for a fourth as Ben Wilson sliced wide and Stanton showed amazing reactions to claw off the line as Smith stooped to head towards goal from close range. A vital interception from Marsh also prevented Purcell from letting fly.

Any hopes of getting back into the game were undone less than a minute into the second half as both Stanton and Strawbridge miss-kicked their respective clearances, allowing Condon to break free and find the far bottom corner.

A rare foray forward for Guernsey saw Allen drill a speculative volley comfortably wide of the near post, and on the hour Stanton got down to field a poor shot from Condon, who should have punished the hosts again after Harry Tobin had hesitated and allowed Fagg to nip in and intercept a pass out to him.

Strawbridge slid in to make an important interception, almost scoring an own-goal in the process, and then cleared off his own goal-line. Stanton also beat away a sweetly-struck effort from Fagg from range.

Last ditch defending was just about keeping the Nuts & Bolts from a fifth, but the Green Lions could hold out any long as the game entered its final quarter-hour. Tariq Ossai was first onto a loose ball on the edge of the area an unleashed an unstoppable low drive into the bottom corner to Stanton’s left.

To their credit, Guernsey kept pursuing a consolation and only a timely intervention from Kamara forced Allen to drill wide of the near post after a neat set-up by substitute Robbie Legg, probably GFC’s best chance of the game. Legg himself was also almost through as he looked to meet Tobin’s pinpoint diagonal delivery but the ball was nicked off him as he got his toe to it to bring it down.

Ashford had their final fill of the Guernsey net with seven minutes to go. Ossai rode a sliding challenge from Tobin, reached the byline and tried to pick out Smith in the middle. Strawbridge lunged to make the block only served to divert the ball into his own net, pretty much summing up his side’s afternoon.

Stanton’s decision to rush out of goal almost backfired when he hesitated and allowed Smith to get to the ball first, but the Guernsey stopper was able to stick out a leg and stop the ball running through. Blocks from Jamie Dodd and Tobin also prevented a late seventh that would have meant a club-record home defeat for Guernsey – instead it equals the 6-0 inflicted by Tooting & Mitcham United in November 2016.

Stanton was also required to save at his near post from Condon in stoppage time, while two final attempts from GFC to salvage something positive from the afternoon saw Legg’s shot blocked as he pulled the trigger following a useful cross from Tobin, and Allen curl over the top.

The referee’s final whistle was merciful as the Green Lions dropped to 10th in Isthmian South East. Saturday’s other results were as follows: Chichester City 2-1 Hythe Town, Cray Valley PM 1-0 Burgess Hill Town, Faversham Town 2-2 Phoenix Sports, Hastings United 4-0 Sittingbourne, Haywards Heath Town 1-0 Sevenoaks Town, Herne Bay 2-1 Three Bridges, VCD Athletic 1-0 Whitstable Town, Whitehawk 1-0 East Grinstead Town, Whyteleafe 3-2 Ramsgate.

Ashford United: 1 Sam Mott (c), 2 Tariq Ossai, 3 Ben Wilson, 4 Lee Prescott, 5 Jake McIntyre, 6 Mo Kamara, 7 Thomas Fagg, 8 Thomas O’Connor (14 Tashi-Jay Kwayie 80′), 9 Jay May (12 David Smith 28′), 10 George Purcell (15 Theo Osinfolarin 81′), 11 Aaron Condon. Not used: Lee Hook.

Booked: O’Connor.

Attendance: 788.