Goals: Monene 29′ – Allen (pen) 85′; Strawbridge 90+2′.

Guernsey showed a never-say-die spirit to turn a 1-0 defeat into a 2-1 win in the dying moments at Chalfont St Peter on Tuesday night.

Having fallen behind in the first half and struggling to make the final ball count in the first half, the Green Lions then had to overcome losing defender Jacob Fallaize to a red card in a bizarre case of mistaken identity.

Despite plenty of youth on the pitch, it was the old guard who came up trumps when it mattered as Tony Vance’s side rallied to earn the late leveller they deserved through Ross Allen, before a rare goal from Tom Strawbridge stole all three points at the death and move the Sarnians past Thatcham Town up to 13^th in Isthmian South Central.

The start was relatively scrappy with both sides displaying poor ball retention in the opening quarter-hour. Ross Allen curled over the top from outside the box with his left foot and Josh Boorn had Lucas Hanley scrambling but fired wide.

Allen worked an opening for Kieran Mahon following a corner but the midfielder could only find the car park behind the stand with his effort.

Keene Domaille tried to hook towards the net from close range but couldn’t mark his full debut with a goal as the ball dropped wide.

The hosts got their noses in front just before the half-hour. Harry Bailey skipped past Ben Le Tocq’s challenge and pulled a return pass back for Isiah Noel-Williams, his shot was blocked brilliantly on the line by the retreating Dave Rihoy and Thomas Dodds got in the way to block from Boorn. But the Saints got a third bite of the cherry as a second rebound dropped kindly for Isaac Monene, who hooked a volley into the corner.

Gauvain almost responded straight from the kick-off as he drove forward past a couple of challenges and exchanged possession with Domaille, but Andrew McCorkell got down to his left to collect at the near post.

Even Fallaize fancied his chances as he tested McCorkell from 30 yards, but the home stopper pushed it wide.

Gauvain was soon pinching the ball off Boorn and driving forward again, but after receiving the ball, Allen couldn’t pick out Domaille or Gauvain in the middle thanks to the intervention of Sean McGuinnes at the near post. The resulting corner reached Allen at the far post, but his volley was blocked.

Gauvain came closest of all at the end of the half as Guernsey kept up the pressure, driving into the box and shooting from an acute angle, but it bounced to safety via the crossbar.

There was time for one more chance at the other end as McGuinness headed into the side netting.

The Green Lions went into the second half in danger of being sucked back into a relegation battle if they didn’t manage to turn things around.

Chalfont were desperate to hang on to the victory any way they could but still created the odd opening themselves, the first being as Boorn skipped in from the right past two challenges but sent his shot high and wide.

A Fallaize through ball five minutes into the second half nearly paid off as Domaille got on the end of it and rounded McCorkell, but the teenager’s shot from the angle lacked power and Prince Kandolo got back to clear off the line.

Noel-Williams got too much on his curler to send it into the stand behind Hanley’s goal, and then their gamesmanship went up a level, with lengthy injury stoppages and niggly fouls to stop Guernsey breaking forward, and tempers were starting to flare.

Midway through the second half, Acey got involved in a tussle with Panny Boxer after a disagreement over a challenge on the teenager. Chalfont were claiming an elbow was used and there was a lengthy stoppage as the referee conferred with his assistant.

Not only was Fallaize nowhere near the incident – his number five and position at centre-back should have given it away – but he is also considerably taller than Acey. But someone the officials decided between them that he was the guilty man and produced a red card, to the astonishment of the visitors. Explanations that Fallaize was in the opposite half fell on deaf ears. It looked like questionable officiating would impact the Green Lions for a second game running.

Guernsey were now playing with the ultimate makeshift backline of Dave Rihoy, Tom Jackson and Thomas Dodds. They were deserving of a decision to go there way and they got it when substitute Kyle Smith raced behind the defence onto Gauvain’s volley forward and was wiped out by McCorkell just inside the box.

After another lengthy stoppage, with Chalfont looking to delay the penalty as much as possible, eventually ended with a dismissal for Fabien Etienne, presumably for dissent.

It was a pressure moment, with McCorkell trying to put him off his stride, but Allen kept his cool to find the right corner. With parity restored in both scoreline and players, it was game on.

There was still danger at the other end as excellent covering by Rihoy stopped Boorn’s effort towards the far corner. Hanley also got lucky when he fumbled a cross but was able to pounce on the loose ball before a Chalfont forward.

Allen had a chance to win it late on as Guernsey went on the break and Mahon picked him out with a brilliant crossfield ball. He chested it down and took it early on the volley but McCorkell was in the way to turn it behind.

But there was more drama to come. Perhaps a blessing of Fallaize’s mistaken red card was the fact that Acey was still on the pitch to take the resulting corner, and perhaps Strawbridge might not have even come on. But as fate would have it, the two combined as Acey sent the delivery deep to the far post, with Strawbridge arriving right on cue to plant his header home, in the 92^nd minute.

There was still time for another scare a loose ball dropped but Boxer six yards out, but he miskicked and sent the ball spinning away. Bailey did eventually get another shot away but his volley was closer to the corner flag than Hanley’s net.

A roar of both relief and delight went up at final whistle after a momentous effort from a side that had stood up to ever hurdle put in their way, and who had had only one day to rest between games.

The only dampener to the mood at the end of the game was a potential three-game ban for an innocent Fallaize unless GFC are successful in an appeal. Fingers crossed he is able to face Uxbridge on Saturday.

Chalfont St Peter: 1 Andrew McCorkell; 2 Prince Kandolo; 3 Brandon Kalu; 4 Panny Boxer (c); 5 Sean McGuinness; 6 Fabien Etienne; 7 Josh Boorn; 8 Isiah Noel-Williams; 9 Isaac Monene (15 Jordan Junor, 90’); 10 Exauce Ditu; 11 Harry Bailey. Not used: 12 Ali Mouajal; 14 Stefan Powell; 16 Charlie Jackson; 17 Ben Gill. 

Booked: Boxer, Noel-Williams, Ditu. Sent off: Etienne.