Goals: Robinson 62′ – Allen (pen) 35′.

Guernsey showed that there is plenty of fight left in them yet in their relegation battle as they dug in to grind out a point at play-off chasing Raynes Park Vale on Tuesday night.

The hosts would have been expected to win this one comfortably, but the Green Lions gave as good as they got in the first half and created a few good openings before Ross Allen gave them the lead from the penalty spot, while Seb Sheppard made a couple of good saves at the other end.

Raynes Park piled the pressure on in the second half and eventually did equalise just after the hour through the in-form Trevan Piedade Robinson, but otherwise the Sarnians held firm and put their bodies on the line to keep their hosts from bagging a winner.

Allen warmed the hands of Daniel O’Donavan within seconds of kick-off as Guernsey went straight for goal once they got the ball rolling. Sam Murray was also close to getting a toe to a rebound after a shot from Brandon Wallace, and also couldn’t quite turn in a Jacques Cauvin cross

Tyler Cox had the hosts’ first good chance with a curler from just outside the box but Seb Sheppard did brilliantly to tip it over. The stand-in Guernsey stopper also parried at his near post as a shot came in from Tobi Joseph through a crowded area following a sustained spell of pressure.

Murray dragged wide from a good position on the edge of the area while Allen was twice thwarted by a defender when bearing down on goal and not taking the chance to shoot early. Charlton Gauvain also warmed the palms of O’Donavan with an effort from distance.

Guernsey’s opportunity to take the lead came from an inspired piece of forward play as Murray spotted the overalpping run of Cauvin and backheeled the ball into his path. A pull on his shoulder from his marker sent Cauvin sprawling. Allen took on the responsibility as ever and tucked the penalty away to O’Donavan’s left.

Vale came out all guns blazing in the second half to try and level it up early. They caused a scare within seconds as a cross was whipped across the six-yard box but no one was able to get a touch to turn it home.

Jacob Fallaize made a timely tackle to stop a shot from point-back range from Robinson on 55 minutes, but the pressure was building and Robinson slid in to turn an inch-perfect cross from Cox past Sheppard just after the hour.

Ben Solway followed Fallaize’s example as he nipped in to poke the ball away from six yards as the hosts tried to force their way through a crowded penalty area. The resulting corner teed up a shot from the edge of the area that was blocked by a crowd of bodies in the six-yard box.

Charlton Gauvain volleyed over at the far post after a rare sustained spell of pressure from the visitors, and then Matt Loaring was within a whisker of getting his head to Gauvain’s curling free-kick as the Green Lions looked to suckerpunch their hosts.

The final 10 minutes plus what seemed like endless injury time were nervy to watch but GFC held firm to claim a point that could prove vital at the end of the season.

Guernsey have now finally caught up on games and reduced the gap to safety to six points. Tuesday night’s other game saw Binfield take another step towards safety with a 1-0 win at Rayners Lane.

RAYNES PARK VALE: Daniel O’DONOVAN; Michael ELECHI; Trevan Piedade ROBINSON; Walter FIGUEIRA (Kershaney SAMUELS, 68‘); Oliver COOK (c); Alpha DIALLO (Tom RICHARDS, 90+2‘); Oluwatobi JOSEPH (Raekwon BAILEY-ALLEN, 68‘); Omarr LAWSON (Jermaine GREEN, 68‘); Tyler COX; Jerry PUEMO; Jamie SPLATT. Not used: Martin YOUNGAH.

Booked: Cook.