Goals: Arnold 44’; Allen (pen) 81′.

Guernsey secured a vital win over Metropolitan Police to move back out of the Isthmian South Central relegation zone on Saturday afternoon.

The Green Lions will feel it shouldn’t have taken so long, but it was their first win over Met Police at the fourth attempt, and was the most important clash between the two so far as they battle each other for survival.

The Sarnians had to survive heavy pressure at times and Josh Addison had to be at his best to keep the visitors at bay on route to his 10th clean sheet for the club. Simon Arnold’s first goal on home soil just before half-time set the hosts on their way, before a late Ross Allen penalty secured the points.

With the importance surrounding the game, nerves were understandably jangly early on and Josh Addison earned his man-of-the-match award with his work in the first half. He stood his ground to block from Louis Degand early on after GFC had given the ball away trying to play out from the back, then stuck out a leg to deny Mason Galloway from point-blank range. 

Galloway then played Abu Gbla through on the counter, but Addison again got his body in the way to block, then clawed the ball back from the goal line as it almost ricoheted in for a comical own goal. 

The Green Lions came alive later in the half as Liam Beach pushed away a low effort from Sam Murray and the hosts took a timely lead just before end of the first period. Charlton Gauvain wasn’t able to get a strong touch to Niall Hainsworth’s cross, but the Beach’s save to prevent an own goal fell kindly for Arnold to stick it in from inside the six-yard box.

Guernsey had much more control in the second half. Zach Gilman was crowded out at the far post as he tried to capitalise on a high cross from Allen and the clearance came straight back at the Met defence, but Allen got the ball stuck under his feet and was unable to get a shot away.

GFC were able to seal it in the final 10 minutes as Jacob Fallaize hit the deck under pressure as he tried to get on the end of a corner. Allen lashed the penalty into the top-right corner to mark his final game at Footes Lane in style (he is going away for a wedding and so is set to miss a few games).

Met Police should have clawed one back to make it a nervy finish as Joshua Bassey whipped a dangerous ball across the six-yard box but Laurence Ernest sent it high with the goal gaping.

Substitute Alex Ward sent Beach sprawling to his right to make a low save with a potshot from range but by then the points were safe as the Green Lions had held firm for only their third clean sheet of the season to send themselves into the toughest of away runs on a positive note.

The weekend’s other Isthmian South Central results were as follows: Binfield 2-1 Raynes Park Vale, Hanworth Villa 1-0 Sutton Common Rovers, Hartley Wintney 0-1 Hayes & Yeading United, Horndean 0-0 Farnham Town, Kingstonian 1-5 Westfield, Leatherhead 3-0 Ascot United, Moneyfield 3-2 Harrow Borough, Southall 1-0 Badshot Lea, Uxbridge 2-1 South Park (Reigate).

METROPOLITAN POLICE: 1 Liam BEACH (c); 2 Izvnna IKEBUSI (17 Daghan BASARANOLGU, 82’); 3 Charlie BROWN (16 Igor DE OLIVEIRA SOUZA, 78’); 4 Ayoub ENAJAR; 5 Laurence ERNEST; 6 Joshua BASSEY; 7 Louis DEGAND; 8 Benjamin MENDOZA (15 Kynan KIRLEW-WRIGHT, 71’); 9 Abu GBLA; 10 Mason GALLOWAY; 11 Jamal SHARPE. Not used: 12 Alfie WALTERS; 14 Archie LOWERY.

Booked: Brown, Mendoza.