Goals: (Harris 14’; Igozouln 20’, 29’; Lock 51’)

The Footes Lane chapter is over for Guernsey FC’s men’s team, and they ended with a whimper as they were comfortably beaten by a strong Ascot United side in their final outing.

The Green Lionesses were a distant second for the entire contest as they failed to rise to the occasion and go out with a bang. Ascot were determined to be party poopers and had killed the game long before the first half was even out.

The pain almost began inside two minutes as a visiting corner was diverted towards goal but Josh Addison just grabbing the ball before it snuck over the line, despite visiting protests that it had.

Nathan Jones pulled a low shot wide two minutes later, while Ben Harris hooked an effort just wide after a corner had found him in space at the far post.

The Sarnians were constantly surrendering possession trying to get out from the back wth miskicks and sloppy passes all over the shop, and it was from the resulting goal-kick that Ascot took the lead. The ball was intercepted in the middle of the Guernsey half and Connor Holland hook the ball across the box for Harris. The number nine let it bounce then lashed an unstoppable volley that gave Addison no chance as it flew in.

The second came on 20 minutes as Simon Arnold’s challenge right on the edge of the box was adjudged to be a high foot – it initially looked like the referee had given a penalty before eventually confirming the dead ball virtually on the line of the area. The initial low effort was blocked but the ball ricocheted kindly Anas Igozouln, who gratefully accepted the give in firing into the far corner.

There was a brief response from the Green Lions and Fin du Port fired over from 25 yards before chipping the ball into the box for Sam Murray, who could only glance wide as he threw his head at the ball.

Guernsey could only have themselves to blame for the third just before the half-hour. The returning Matt Loaring collected a goal-kick from Addison but turned the wrong way, straight into trouble. The ball was pinched off him and fed to Igozouln who found the far corner again.

Addison fielded a low shot from George Lock within a minute of the second half, and any thoughts of a GFC miracle comeback were killed off on 51 minutes, with a slice of fortune. Lock’s knocked the ball over Addison from out on the right and despite the efforts on the line from the home defence, the assistant flagged that the ball had gone in.

Pride was needed now from the hosts and they showed some despite resting some of their more senior players for more tough games in the latter stages. Charlton Gauvain fizzed a free-kick just wide before he went off, then Ascot keeper spilled a swerving cross-shot from substitute Niall Hainsworth, grabbing the ball at the second attempt just as Zach Gilman looked to tap in a rebound.

Du Port cleared the bar again from a free-kick and Addison was required one more time in the dying seconds, rushing out to smother the ball after Harvey Harry had danced through the home defence.

It was such a shame the Green Lions couldn’t, but a win was always a tough ask against a team up in third. Just one more game for the Green Lionesses before the new chapter truly begins at Victoria Park.

Saturday’s other Isthmian South Central results were as follows: Farnham Town 1-0 South Park (Reigate), Hanworth Villa 3-2 Southall, Harrow Borough 1-2 Badshot Lea, Horndean 2-3 Uxbridge, Leatherhead 1-0 Sutton Common Rovers, Metropolitan Police 1-0 Kingstonian, Moneyfields 3-0 Hartley Wintney, Rayners Lane 5-2 Binfield, Raynes Park Vale 3-1 Westfield.

FARNHAM TOWN: 1 Mark SCOTT; 2 George LOCK; 3 Chad GOULTER; 4 Nathan JONES (17 Aiden PAYNE-JAMES, 75’); 5 Sean FRASER; 6 Joshua EDWARDS; 8 Harry GRANT (c) (15 Harvey HARRY, 68’); 9 Ben HARRIS (20 Brandon CURTIS, HT); 10 Connor HOLLAND (7 Khalid SIMMO, 68’); 11 Anas IGOZOULN (12 George BUTLER, 75’); 14 Oliver MASON.

Booked: Jones, Harris.