Guernsey 1 (Allen 33′)
South Park 0
Ross Allen was back with a bang at Footes Lane on Wednesday night to fire Guernsey off the bottom of the Isthmian South Central table.
Allen netted just after the half-hour in his first game since October to earn the Green Lions back-to-back 1-0 wins and their first midweek home victory in more than four years (the last one came against Herne Bay in November 2018).
Like their slender triumph over Sutton Common Rovers, the Sarnians had to hold firm late on to protect a first-half lead, and did so manfully.
Allen had already had a couple of bites of the cherry, first firing narrowly wide across goal after Dave Merris had evaded his man and slipped into the right channel, then bringing a save out of Zak Basey with a free-kick.
But he didn’t have to wait long for his second goal of the season. Basey’s action to deny Allen was to parry to his left, with Brandon Wallace seeing the ball out for a throw-in. Jamie Dodd slung in one of his classic looping deliveries, Murray flicked it on, and Allen was waiting at the near post to pounce and help it past Basey.
Josh Addison collected a week shot from Craig McGee at his near post as the Sparks responded. The same player saw a shot deflected behind from a similar position. Ryan Healy’s rising drive on the counter was straight at Addison before the break.
The second half was about GFC protecting what they had, with precious points more important than pretty football in this situation. Addison miscued a punch as Kelvin Manuel Massango looped in a cross from the left and was relieved to see it drop wide of the post. He did better when next called into action, tipping over as a header was aimed at goal.
A couple of goalmouth scrambles and important blocks in the closing stages kept the nerves of the home fans on edge. Addison was in just the right spot in injury time, although he may not have known much about the block with Abel Vendrells drilled shot from the middle of the area hit straight at him.
It seems the final whistle would never come as the referee looks at his watch seemingly countless times, but in the end, the Green Lions clung on and the defence gave themselves a deserved pat on the back when it was finally all over.
Guernsey jumped three places to 17th, with the two teams above them well within reach. The other midweek Isthmian South Central results were as follows: Leatherhead 2-1 Bedfont Sports, Tooting & Mitcham United 1-2 Chertsey Town.
Guernsey: 1 Josh Addison; 2 Keanu Marsh; 3 Jamie Dodd; 4 Tom Dodds; 5 Jacob Fallaize; 6 Kieran Mahon (12 Tom Vaudin, 61’); 7 Dave Merris; 8 Danny Hale; 9 Sam Murray; 10 Ross Allen (16 Liam Mahon, 81’); 11 Brandon Wallace (17 Dave Rihoy, 86’). Not used: 14 Matt Loaring; 15 Keene Domaille.
South Park: 1 Zak Basey; 2 Jayden Edwards; 3 Ethan Ford (17 Kelvin Manuel Massango, 56’); 4 Tom Drinkwater (16 Ben Jordan, 52’); 5 Matthew Faithorn; 6 Joe Bell; 7 Craig McGee; 8 Ryan Healy; 9 Sam King; 10 Brendan Murphy-McVey; 11 Abel Vendrells. Not used: 12 Sam Tutt; 14 James McElligott; 15 Nathan Hogan.
Attendance: 444
Highlights are available now on GFCTV.
