Goals: Murray 2′, 42′, 45+2′; Gauvain 12′, Maginnis 71′, Wallace 90+1′.

Sam Murray bagged himself another hat-trick and Charlton Gauvain celebrated his 200th appearance with a goal as Guernsey put half a dozen past Crawley Down Gatwick on Saturday afternoon.

Aside from a couple of lapses that let their hosts stay in the game, the Green Lions were by far the better side, taking and early lead and remaining strong and hungry for more goals in the closing stages.

Murray’s first came within two minutes as Gauvain’s backheel sent Brandon Wallace away down the left, his low cross found Guernsey’s number 9 six yards out. Oliver Cash made an initial brilliant save but Murray’s sliced rebound bounced off the far post and in.

Just 10 minutes later is was two, with Wallace the creator again. He didn’t have to break stride to run onto Jacob Fallaize’s raking pass his cross hung up nicely cross for Gauvain to run into the box and head home at the near post.

The Anvils got back into it just before the half-hour as Oli Leslie brought the ball down in the right channel, cut inside and squared for Rhys White, who skipped away from Tom Dodds’ challenge and dinked the ball over Josh Addison.

White came close to an equaliser as his curler from the edge of the box just evaded the top-right corner, while Callum Kilkenny failed to make contact on a cross to the far post with the goal at his mercy.

Luckily, Guernsey rode out that mini-storm and got back on top. Ross Allen’s header was tipped over after good work involving Gauvain and Fin Patterson, then two quickfire goals put them well in control at the break. For the third, Jamie Dodd hoofed a clearance upfield and Murray gave chase. Cash started to come out then hesitated, allowing Murray to get there first and guide a lob over the top of the Crawley down keeper and into the net.

Murray completed his treble in first-half injury time, found by Wallace on the edge of the D and taking a touch around Cash before tucking in a low effort for his 16th goal of the season. It was also his second hat-trick of the season, making him the only player other than Allen to bag more than one hat-trick in a single campaign.

Guernsey made a couple of changes early in the second half and it did momentarily disrupt them as the hosts gave themselves a glimmer of hope on 54 minutes. It was an instant impact from Harvey bench, scoring with his first touch off the bench, tapping a cross into an empty net.

Any fears of a collapse were soon put to bed though. Patterson though he had restored the three-goal cushion immediately but was flagged offside as the ball hit the back of the net. The teenager was also denied by a brilliant save by Cash to turn the ball behind. That chance came from some excellent invention by Gauvain to release Wallace away down the left.

Substitute Will Fazakerley almost pulled off the spectacular from long range after bringing down a lofted pass but his effort smacked the crossbar.

Corey Brouard unfortunately had to come off with a shoulder injury not long after coming on, but his replacement Frazer Maginnis made it 5-2 within a few minutes of coming on. Fin Du Port worked himself space to cross and picked out Maginnis in the middle, who tucked the ball into the corner from close range.

Having already creating a couple of goals, Wallace put the icing on the cake with a deserved goal in injury time moments after hitting the post. Patterson drove forward on the counter attack and released Maginnis for a low cross. A defender slid in to clear but his touch only served to present the ball nicely for Wallace to tap in his third of the season.

Guernsey remain fifth in the Southern Combination Premier Division, but Horsham YM and Newhaven have both been reeled in after dropping points, as did league leaders Haywards Heath Town with their first defeat of the season. Saturday’s full set of results were as follows: AFC Varndeanians 2-2 Newhaven, Forest Row 2-2 Lingfield, Little Common 0-3 Eastbourne United, Midhurst & Easebourne 2-4 Lancing, Roffey 2-1 Haywards Heath Town, Seaford Town 0-2 Bexhill United, Steyning Town 3-1 Horsham YM, Wick 0-1 Pagham.

CRAWLEY DOWN GATWICK: 1 Ollie CASH; 2 Charlie BONWICK-ADAMS (16 Matia TAMALE 50′); 3 Regan DAVIS; 4 Michael SPENCE (12 Josh RAPSON 55′); 5 Liam HOLDEN; 6 Luca INTELLINGENZA (17 Kian LOVETT 74′); 7 James LAWS; 8 Sammy CLEMENTS (15 Josh ALDER 74′); 9 Oli LESLIE (14 Harvey BURGESS 53′); 10 Rhys WHITE; 11 Callum KILKENNY.

Booked: Spence, Clements.