Goals: Simpson 3’, 35’, 66’; Dickson 7’; King 43’; Murphy-McVey 45+2’ – Allen (pen) 41′.

Guernsey will be glad to see the back of midweek away trips for another season.

Their fatigue was clear to see as were soundly beaten by South Park after a miserable first half. Although Ross Allen had replied from the spot, the Sparks ran riot with five goals before the break, helped by some poor defending from the Green Lions feeling the effects of a gruelling schedule on an awful playing surface.

The first 10 minutes set the tone as Melford Simpson headed home unchallenged from an in-swinging corner with barely two minutes on the clock.

Five minutes in, Jacob Fallaize strode forward to collect a throw but his long shot was wild. Will Fazakerley then misjudged the flight of a ball to far post but luckily Jacob Bell volleyed over.

But the Sparks didn’t have to wait long for another as Hanley miscued the resulting goal-kick and James Dickson took full advantage, collecting the loose ball and rifling into the bottom corner. As far as starts to a game go, it doesn’t get much worse.

Alex Andrade Felipe caught the ball nicely on the half volley as it bounced up kindly but it whistled over the top, while Bell headed straight at Hanley after a second quick cross was delivered towards the far post.

GFC did wake up for a spell. Fazakerley did really well to hold onto the ball despite the attention of two defenders, and flashed a shot across goal that was just wide of the far post, with Ross Allen unable to get a finishing touch.

Dave Rihoy and Liam Mahon then linked up well on the left but as the ball was returned to Mahon, he caught his shot wrong and sliced it across the area.

Just as Guernsey looked to be getting a foothold on the game, the ball bobbled under Tom Strawbridge’s foot las he tried to bring it down, and Simpson ran onto it before firing past Hanley to effectively end the game as a contest before the clock had even reached 35 minutes.

GFC were handed a lifeline five minutes before the break when Allen was clumsily bundled over as he turned in the box, and he tucked the resulting penalty into the left corner.

But any hopes that might ignite a comeback were quickly killed off, with the visitors unable to shore things up until half-time as they allowed their hosts two more goals too easily.

The fourth came as the midfield were second to the ball, and Simpson tucked a pass in behind the defence for Sam King, who rounded Hanley and rolled the ball in.

GFC were left red faced as the hosts got a fifth in first-half stoppage time. Brendan Murphy-McVey’s shot from distance didn’t have too much power behind it, but Hanley couldn’t get there scrambling to his left and the ball nestled in the bottom corner.

There was still time for one more chance in the first half as Fazakerley was brought down driving forward. Allen’s free-kick had Zak Basey beaten as it curled towards the corner, but bounced away to safety via the post.

The second half was much quieter by comparison. Brendan Murphy-McVey tried to catch Hanley out from range after Tom Jackson lost possession in midfield, but the Guernsey stopper got back to his line in time to catch it.

Simpson blew the chance to net his hat-trick just after the hour as he took the ball away from Murphy-McVey, who was perhaps in a better position, but hooked tamely at Hanley.

Melford did get his hat-trick moments later, as a headed home from a corner for the second time in the game midway through the half to make is six.

Tyler McKane looked to get an instant reply as he volleyed towards goal at the far post but it was blocked, with fellow substitute Glenn Le Tissier only able to hook behind from the rebound.

Simpson was more unselfish as he muscled Strawbridge off the ball and tried to square it for a team-mate to tap in, but his pass was tame and Hanley collected.

Will Fazakerley fought his way into a shooting position with five minutes left and a challenge on him send the ball spinning towards goal, but Basey tipped it behind.

The Green Lions’ misery was topped off with one final sour note as Kieran Mahon threw himself into a challenge to stop Lee Dobbs breaking away, and amidst the handbags that followed between both sets of players, the referee swiftly whipped out the red card, a moment that will see one of Guernsey’s best players this season now miss the next three games.

Guernsey stay 14^th in Isthmian South Central. Four consecutive home games, with only one in midweek, will be sweet relief for Tony Vance’s side after eight games in a month.

South Park: 1 Zak Basey; 2 Roman Charles-Cook; 3 Alex Andrade Felipe; 4 Lee Dobbs; 5 Matthew Faithorn; 6 Joe Bell; 7 James Dickson; 8 Sam King (17 Danyaal Iqbal, 73’); 9 Melford Simpson; 10 Brendan Murphy-McVey (14 Nathan Hogan, 77’); 11 Fred Hill (18 Courtney Swabey, 67’). Not used: 12 Gavin Quintyne; 16 Ben Jordan.

Booked: Dobbs.