Guernsey 1-3 Binfield
Allen (pen) 34’ – Montague 17′; Moore 48′; George 87′.
Guernsey failed to match their second half efforts from last weekend as a flat performance saw them deservedly beaten at home by Binfield on Wednesday night.
The Green Lions never got going and, aside from Ross Allen’s penalty to level the scores 10 minutes before the half-time, barely looked like troubling Christopher Grace in the visitors’ goal, who had a comfortable night.
It was a frustrating watch, as the match played perfectly into the streetwise Binfield’s hands, with the officials also rather whistle and flag happy. The Moles made the game stop-start to prevent GFC getting any sort of foothold or rhythm.
Kyle Smith’s early air shot as he arced his run to meet a low free-kick was a sign of things to come as far as the Sarnians were concerned, with Liam Tack sending a dipping free-kick narrowly over on seven minutes.
The home defence were caught flat-footed on 17 minutes as Binfield took the lead. William Montague had too much pace for Jamie Dodd as he chased a ball into the right channel and raced into the area. Josh Addison got a hand to the low shot across goal but it crept in at the far post.
Sean Moore was given too much room on the edge of the area shortly before the half-hour, but fluffed his lines as he blasted his shot over the bar.
There was a brief bright period for Guernsey after half an hour, starting when Smith cushioned a ball forward on his chest and turned a pass round the corner for Dave Rihoy, but the number seven skewed high and wide as he ran into the area.
A quick throw from Rihoy on the right then set Ross Allen away near the byline, but Matt Loaring was being closely marked as he met the pullback and his shot was blocked.
This mini spell was rewarded with an equaliser on 34 minutes. Jackson recycled the ball back into the area for Allen. He shot struck the closest defender, with the referee deciding that it struck his arm and pointed to the spot. Allen struck the spotkick with power into the bottom right corner.
Addison stretched to hold a free-kick on 43 minutes as Olliver Harris tried to catch him out, and half-time was perhaps a relief as it gave the coaching staff the chance to shake up the hosts into a more productive second half.
But any hopes that the equaliser would lift the Green Lions were quickly extinguished just three minutes into the second half. The defence only half-cleared from a throw and Moore collected the loose ball on the edge of the D. He struck his shot early and it skimmed out of Addison’s reach into the bottom corner.
Dodd teed up Loaring just outside the area as Guernsey sought an instant response, but his drive towards goal flew past the far post.
Allen thought for a brief moment he had levelled it up with a brilliant free-kick just before the hour after he was brought down as he drove forward from midfield. His curler looked destined for the top-right corner but Grace got across to his left brilliantly to tip it over – his only save of the night.
There were a couple of close calls from corners as Binfield players found themselves free at the far post but couldn’t hit the target, while Jacob Fallaize made an important block as Moore looked to cut inside and shoot.
There was still plenty of time to go in the match but GFC couldn’t hold on to the ball in attacking positions, and saw the game run away from them with three minutes to go as they presented their visitors with an absolute gift. A failure to clear their lines saw the ball presented tamely to Harris in the area, who drove across goal for the unmarked Gabe George to bury the third.
Kieran Mahon offered up the only further response from Guernsey as he collected a loose ball 25 yards out, but his shot rolled harmlessly wide.
Tony Vance will see this as a missed opportunity as another winnable midweek home game went begging – that’s four losses and a draw from their last five Wednesday night outings at Footes Lane. One to forget and a result that keeps Guernsey in the bottom two.
Guernsey: 1 Josh Addison; 2 Thomas Dodds, 3 Jamie Dodd (c); 4 Tom Jackson (12 Keanu Marsh, 67’); 5 Jacob Fallaize; 6 Kieran Mahon; 7 David Rihoy; 8 Liam Mahon; 9 Kyle Smith (14 Ben Le Tocq, 61’); 10 Ross Allen; 11 Matt Loaring (15 Glenn Le Tissier, 77′). Not used: 13 Callum Stanton; 16 Tyler McKane.
Booked: Dodds, Jackson, K Mahon, Dodd, Smith, Loaring.
Binfield: 1 Christopher Grace; 2 Liam Tack; 3 Eliott Legg; 4 Kennie Chamberlain (12 Jack Thomson-Wheeler, 68’); 5 Joe Gater; 6 Liam Gavin; 7 Olliver Harris; 8 James McClurg; 9 Sean Moore (c); 10 William Montague (15 Callum Bunting, 88’); 11 Gabe George. Not used: 14 Harvey Griffiths.
Booked: Tack, Legg, Chamberlain, McClurg, Moore.
Attendance: 613.
Highlights will be available on GFCTV soon.
