Goals: Esprit 3’, 74’; Williams 88’ – Fazakerley 84’.

The scoreline didn’t reflect the performance as Guernsey were unlucky to lose by a two-goal deficit in the ‘Runway Derby’ at Bedfont Sports on Wednesday night.

The Green Lions were more than a match for their old foes, who registered their first win over the Sarnians in five attempts, nearly nine years after their last meetings, and would have been well worth a point if not for a couple of defensive lapses on an otherwise spirited display in the blustery conditions, just a stone’s throw from Heathrow Airport.

Tony Vance’s side dealt better than their hosts with the gale brought into the south of England by Storm Eunice. They brushed aside their disastrous start to take the game to their opponents, and refused to lie down even after a second goal with just over 15 minutes left.

Will Fazakerley halved the deficit late on to keep the game alive, but a late third for Bedfont killed off the Green Lions.

There had been an early warning as the Bedfont seized onto a loose ball inside a minute and Jordan Esprit took aim from outside the area, but his low shot took a deflection and rolled wide.

But Esprit was only delayed for another two minutes, though, as he was left unmarked to head home from Giovanni Palmer’s pinpoint delivery from the left.

After that somewhat shaky start and early setback, Guernsey settled into a rhythm and were playing the ball around nicely.

Matt Loaring slotted Kyle Smith in on goal but a heavy first touch from the attacker allowed his marker to get in and make a vital block, and the Green Lions had to settle for the corner, from which Jamie Dodd saw a header saved and Fazakerley was unable to get the finishing touch in the resulting scramble.

Fazakerley almost pounced on a scuffed shot from Smith after 15 minutes, after the latter had been played in by Loaring, but home stopper Matte Pierson just about kept it out. A few minutes later, Pierson gathered on the deck as Ben Acey cut in and shot towards the near post.

Tom Jackson’s dink was kept out by Joseph Morrison on the line after great work down the right by Smith as the game ticked past the half-hour mark.

Shortly after, Hanley had to play it safe and help the ball over the top as Palmer’s cross took a huge deflection towards goal, no doubt helped by the gale. Palmer then cleared the bar from distance.

Ricky Wellard hit the side netting from the edge of the box on 35 minutes, but not before Jamie Dodd and Jacob Fallaize had both put in goal saving tackles to stop Esprit from breaking through.

Smith was having a great game on the right, in both an attacking and a defending point of view. Just after a crucial slide tackle to turn the ball behind, he was then in the right place to nod off the line as Morrison tried to head home the resulting corner.

Guernsey were a little fortunate not to have the game killed off in first-half stoppage time as Lewis Flatman’s free-kick fizzed off the turf. Hanley couldn’t hold it, and it was hacked away just before a home attacker could stick in the rebound.

The Sarnians started the second half as strongly as they had grown into the first. Fazakerley planted a headed wide from Acey’s teasing free-kick on 54 minutes. Hanley also got down to his right and held as Darryl Sanders drove forward and fired towards the bottom corner.

Joe Jackson capitalised on a careless ball from namesake Tom into midfield just before the hour, but as the ball reached Esprit, the forward was off balance and sent his shot over. Hanley also fielded as Flatman tried his luck from range.

Substitute Seb Skillen almost made an impact with just his second touch off the bench after a neat spell of play down the right by the Green Lions and he was teed up, but Connagh Wilks made the block. Loaring then had a potshot from range that skidded through to Pierson.

All Guernsey’s good work was undone as they gifted Bedfont a second with little over 15 minutes left. A rare error of judgement from Fallaize in the area allowed the ball to drop for Esprit, who made no mistake to bag his brace from close range.

GFC thought they had got back into it instantly as Fazakerley threw himself at Acey’s right-wing cross and found the bottom corner with a diving header, but the assistant referee raised the flag for offside.

Hanley fielded from substitute Daniel Williams with 11 minutes left, while Ben Le Tocq spotted Pierson off his line but sent his shot flying over.

The Green Lions set up a potential grandstand finish with six minutes left as Fazakerley finally got the goal he thought he should have had 10 minutes earlier. It came from a high press as Acey intercepted and played in Loaring. He fired in from the angle and Pierson could only spill it into the path of Fazakerley, who couldn’t miss the empty net from six yards out.

Unfortunately, that hope only lasted four minutes as the Eagles made sure of the points with just two minutes left on the clock. The ball dropped kindly for Williams just inside the area, but there was no doubting the quality of the finish as the substitute rifled into the top corner.

The result meant that Guernsey cannot rise up into midtable with a win against Chipstead on Saturday, but it would certainly put them right in the hunt for a surge towards a comfortable midtable position. There were another two players added to the GFC honour roll as teenagers Keene Domaille and George McNeela made their debuts off the bench in the second half.

Bedfont Sports: 1 Matte Pierson; 2 Kevin Diomande; 3 Giovanni Palmer (16 Jonathan Tadafe, 81’); 4 Joseph Morrison; 5 Azeez Alabi; 6 Joe Jackson; 8 Max Webb; 9 Jordan Esprit (14 Daniel Williams, 75’); 10 Darryl Sanders; 11 Ricky Wellard (15 Lewis Flatman, 37’); 19 Connagh Wilks. Not used: 12 Lewis Pegg.