Goals: Vaughan OG 22′; Allen (pen) 35′, 52′; Gauvain 45+2′; Loaring 80′ – Berry 69′; Ndozid 72′; Leahy (pen) 90+5′.

Paying punters at Footes Lane certainly got their money’s worth on Wednesday night as they were entertained by eight goals and a vital three points for Guernsey to put a 10-point gap between themselves and the relegation zone.

It looked like the Green Lions were heading for the perfect night as they went 4-0 up early in the second half after a fantastic first-half performance that had left them three goals to the good.

But Tony Vance would have been silently seething as the Sarnians carelessly let the Chips back in with two quick goals to set up a potentially nervy ending. Matt Loaring continued his fine form to make the game safe once again before a late penalty for the visitors made the game appear closer than it really was.

A rest over the weekend due to a faulty plane proved to be a useful tonic for GFC as they flew at their opponents in the first half – hassling and hounding their opponents down in defence and midfield and forcing a plethora of mistakes from the visitors. Josh Addison didn’t have a save to make in the first half and the hosts were fine value for their lead.

Charlton Gauvain intercepted and put Owen Wallbridge through early on but his touch was too heavy, allowing Harrison Firth to come out and claim. The two then combined again as Wallbridge went through again but this time his shot was tame and straight at Firth, who had rushed out to close him down.

A minute later, Ben Solway’s pass set Gauvain away to the edge of the area but his shot from the angle lacked power and Firth gathered.

Midway through the half, Guernsey’s dominance got its reward, even if it was a gift from the opposition. Gauvain flicked on Addison’s long ball into the path of the overlapping Solway, who whipped a low cross (below) in towards the six yard box. It’s the kind of cross retreating defenders hate and it proved to be so as Daniel Vaughan slid in to intercept but instead turned it past his goalkeeper into the far corner.

Three minutes later, it was two. Firth knocked the ball out and Gauvain’s quick thinking at the throw put Wallbridge into the box. Nathaniel Kenlock clumsily barged into the back of him and sent him sprawling, with Ross Allen tucking the resulting penalty calmly into the bottom right corner.

A Gauvain free-kick into the box evaded everyone and had to be pushed wide by Firth just after the half hour, then the Guernsey number seven got the third on the stroke of half-time to cap off a fine individual first-half performance. It came again from pressure in midfield forcing a mistake, and Kieran Mahon put Gauvain through for an early shot past the advancing Firth, with the ball nestling in the bottom corner for his fourth goal in as many games. There was barely time for Chipstead to kick off again before the half-time whistle – what a time to score.

The Green Lions looked to put the game fully to bed quickly in the second half and give their goal difference a big boost. Straight from kick-off, they created a chance as Gauvain’s burst forward eventually saw the ball find its way to Allen at the far post, but he was thwarted by Firth.

Addison made an important block from Jack Leahy to prevent Chipstead getting an early sniff of a comeback, then Gauvain wasted a sitter as he blazed over from six yards from Wallbridge’s cutback.

Seb Vance and Loaring combined well to send Allen into the area and Firth had to parry behind to make sure his effort didn’t go in at the near post. Gauvain got his head to the resulting corner but Firth just about stopped it creeping into the bottom corner.

All this in less than seven minutes of second half action and Allen made it four on 52 minutes. Dave Rihoy thumped towards goal form 25 yards, sending Firth sprawling to make the save. Loaring kept it alive on the byline and pulled it back towards the edge of the area, where Allen met it first time and lashed it high into the roof of the net with his left foot for his second.

Wallbridge then kept the ball in play on the right byline and set up Gauvain for a strike that was beaten away by Firth at his near post.

Then the Green Lions relaxed a little too much and two quickfire goals from the visitors just about kept the game alive. First, substitute Daniel Berry was fed in the box and struck from the angle straight at Addison, but the Sarnian stopper let it squirm past him and in at the near post.

Less than three minutes later, Bradley Wilson’s through ball gave Jordy Ndozid space in the box to turn and curl the ball over Addison into the far corner.

This put the wind in Chipstead’s sails and GFC were rattled for a little while. However, the hosts just about negotiated the pressure and went in search for a clincher. Vance flicked on for Wallbridge, whose bouncer from outside the box was gathered by Firth. The teenager then rose to flick on a free-kick, but his header was straight at Firth.

The Green Lions finally made the game safe with 10 minutes left. Jamie Dodd’s long throw was headed away to the edge of the box, landing kindly for Loaring who teed it up for himself to arrow the ball into the right corner – a fine strike that moved him onto nine for the season and 94 goals for the club overall.

The goal difference looked less glossy than it could have been come the final whistle, as Solway was adjudged to have fouled in the box, with Leahy’s penalty finding the left corner just past Addison’s fingertips with what was effectively the last kick of the game.

The three points took Guernsey up three places to 16^th, but a win for Sutton Common Rovers over South Park Reigate means they will be there for at least another week as it is now a four-point gap to Metropolitan Police, who got a win at the weekend. The other Isthmian South midweek results were as follows: Ascot United 2-2 Ashford Town, Badshot Lea 1-3 Hartley Wintney, Binfield 2-3 Westfield, Chertsey Town 2-1 Leatherhead, Marlow 4-1 Northwood, Raynes Park Vale 2-0 Corinthian-Casuals, Southall 4-1 Hanworth Villa, Sutton Common Rovers 3-0 South Park Reigate.

CHIPSTEAD: 1 Harrison FIRTH; 2 Jaden EDWARDS; 3 Alfie YOUNG (14 Khalid BIBIKIR, HT); 4 Daniel VAUGHAN; 5 Syed Zohair IRTIZA-ALI; 6 Nathaniel KENLOCK; 7 Jack LEAHY; 8 Jordy Ndozid (12 Campbell SCOTT, 84’); 9 Jacob SEWELL (15 Daniel BERRY, 64’); 10 Bradley WILSON (c); 11 Danyaal IQBAL. Not used: 16 Matthew MALES.

Booked: Kenlock, Ndozid, Wilson.