GUERNSEY 0
HARROW BOROUGH 3 (Stewart 47′; Hamilton-Olise 54′; Odumosu 64′)
Guernsey early-season rustiness was on show they were beaten by new opponents Harrow Borough.
The third quarter of the game was where it all fell apart, but there was no denying the visitors were sharper and deserving of their win.
Guernsey had a couple of early openings in a bright start as Charlton Gauvain’s cross caused havoc and Matt Loaring rolled a low shot wide from the edge of the area. Sam Murray’s spectacular bicycle kick was also beaten away by Andrew McCorkell, but the assistant’s flag would have ruled a goal out anyway.
The visitors grew into the half as Leo Sery squared for Mack Miskin on the left of the area, but the wideman sliced high and wide. Sery then got in behind and rounded Josh Addison, but a brilliant recovery from Jacques Cauvin saw him slide in and turn the goalbound ball wide.
There was also an important block on the line from a Guernsey defender to deny Jordan Hamilton-Olise as he looked to turn home at the far post having got on the end of Dan Williams’ cross.
Borough were right at it now and Addison had to be alert to scramble behind a snapshot from Sery towards the bottom corner. James Gurteen also blazed over at the far post as a corner delivery bounced around the Guernsey six-yard box.
Nil-nil at the break seemed just about fair but Guernsey’s own sloppiness gifted the visitors the opener early in the second half, as a mix-up while playing around at the back allowed Harrow to pinch the ball back and round Addison, with captain Carl Stewart eventually putting the ball into an empty net.
Brandon Wallace’s overhit cross from a deep position on the left wing threatened to drop in over McCorkell’s head soon after the opener, then Owen Wallbridge and Wallace both had shots blocked as Guernsey sought a quick route back into the game.
Murray then found himself free in the right channel and opted to shoot rather than pick out a team-mate in the middle, but dragged wide of the near post.
Borough doubled their lead on 54 minutes as Hamilton-Olise found himself free on the edge of the box, chested the ball down and volleyed into the bottom corner.
Jethro Odumusu was introduced from the bench for the visitors on the hour, and within five minutes he was on the scoresheet to seal the points. His initial shot was saved by Addison, and the substitute was then tripped on the byline as he tried to retrieve the rebound. He took the penalty himself, firing in to Addison’s left.
Allen forced a save from McCorkell in GFC’s only real meaningful chance after that, while Addison saved one more time from Hamilton-Olise in injury time.
There was some notable appearances off the bench as 16-year-old forward Fin Patterson came off the bench for his debut, putting himself among our youngest ever players, while Ben Acey made a return having left Bristol City in the summer. He is back in Guernsey temporarily while plotting his next move in the professional game.
Saturday’s other results were as follows: Horndean 2-0 Hanworth Villa, Leatherhead 2-3 Hartley Wintney, Metropolitan Police 1-3 Sutton Common Rovers, Raynes Park Vale 5-1 Badshot Lea, Uxbridge 3-4 Westfield.
Guernsey: 1 Josh Addison; 4 Tom DODDS (27 Ben ACEY, HT); 5 Tom VAUDIN; 7 Charlton GAUVAIN; 8 Matt LOARING; 9 Sam MURRAY; 10 Ross ALLEN (c) (22 Fin PATTERSON, 75’); 11 Owen WALLBRIDGE (2 Niall HAINSWORTH, 62’); 17 Brandon WALLACE (12 Fin DU PORT, 65’); 18 Dave MERRIS; 21 Jacques CAUVIN. Not used: 14 Simon ARNOLD.
Booked: Loaring.
1 Andrew McCorkell; 2 Javon MARQUIS; 3 Bailey LAMB; 4 Carl STEWART (c) (15 Harry McCORKELL, 57’); 5 Addison GARNETT (17 Stephen LANGLEY, 61’); 6 James GURTEEN; 7 Mack MISKIN; 8 Luke IFIL; 9 Dan WILLIAMS; 10 Leo SERY (14 Jethro ODUMOSU, 60’); 11 Jordan HAMILTON-OLISE. Not used: 12 Keegan BLOOM; 16 Deago DUNBAR-BONNIE.
Booked: Garnett, H McCorkell.
Attendance: 569.
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