| GUERNSEY | 1 | – | 4 | EASTBOURNE UNITED |
| Fazakerley (pen) 55′ | Stone 10′ 62′ Nones 45′, 68′ |
Patched-up Guernsey turned in a much better performance than their trip to Lingfield but were ultimately seen off by Southern Combination Premier Division early pace setters Eastbourne United on Saturday.
The Green Lions were shy of key players Josh Addison, Jamie Dodd, Jacques Cauvin, Fin du Port, Matt Loaring, Charlton Gauvain and Sam Murray – all of whom would normally command a starting place – among others, and put up a good showing at Victoria Park across the 90 minutes, but individual mistakes at key moments, ultimately cost them.
Tony Vance said afterwards that he was heartened by the display and is confident that if his side continue with those standards they will still be challenging for promotion this season.
The Sarnians started brightly, with teenager Dylan Graham setting the tone with another lively display out wide. He worked himself space for a cross that Will Fazakerley headed over at the far post, possibly via a deflection, inside nine minutes as the Greens looked to push their visitors back.
But just a minute later, Eastbourne had the ball in the Guernsey net as a ball was played forward to send James Stone into the clear. The home players claimed the offside but the assistant referee kept his flag down and Stone was clear to bear down on Seb Sheppard and tuck the ball into the bottom corner for 1-0.
Stone got in behind again a few minutes later but Sheppard came flying out brilliantly to smother the shot. Fazakerley tried the early shot from range on the half volley but it bounced comfortably wide.
An early shot from James Hill from outside the area that had Sheppard sprawling but bounced wide, while Dave Merris took on a half volley from a knockdown on the edge of the box but sent it off target.
The Lions were proving to be tricky customers out wide, with Brandon Wallace forcing two saves out of Alieu Secka in the first half. But it ultimately proved to be fruitless as Jorge Nones turned in a right-wing cross to double Eastbourne’s lead just before the break.
Guernsey kept up the positivity after the break and Fazakerley’s freekick had Secka sprawling to save. He was to keep up his productive start to the season with his fifth goal of the campaign to halve the deficit 10 minutes after the break. He took the penalty himself having being been sent tumbling by an over-eager marker in the area, wrong-footing Secka to roll the ball into the bottom-right corner.
Unfortunately the momentum the hosts were building was swiftly halted as Eastbourne restored their two-goal cushion just five minutes later. A poor throw-in gifted the ball back to the visitors high up the pitch and it was swiftly moved across the box for Stone to slot in his second.
Nones headed in a free-kick to seal the points midway through the half. That prompted changes as George Goubert and Ross Allen entered the action, the latter making a landmark 400th appearance, with Corey Brouard following soon after.
A nicely worked move teed up Fazakerley to force Secka into another save in the closing stages, but otherwise the visitors were comfortable in seeing out the game to take the three points and keep command of the table.
Saturday’s other results were as follows: Forest Row 3-4 Seaford Town, Hassocks 4-0 Billingshurst, Horsham Y 1-3 Lingfield, Lancing 3-1 Newhaven, Midhurst & Easebourne 0-2 Bexhill United, Wick 2-0 AFC Varndeanians.
GUERNSEY: 13 Seb SHEPPARD; 2 Niall HAINSWORTH (10 Ross ALLEN, 68′); 6 Seb VANCE; 11 Brandon WALLACE (20 George GOUBERT, 68′); 14 Simon ARNOLD; 15 Ben SOLWAY; 18 Dave MERRIS; 19 Will FAZAKERLEY; 22 Fin PATTERSON (16 Corey BROUARD, 76′); 24 Jacob FALLAIZE (c); 25 Dylan GRAHAM. Not used: 12 Tyrese KELLY; 23 Archie DRILLOT.
Booked: Drillot.
EASTBOURNE UNITED: 1 Alieu SECKA; 2 Oliver HULL; 4 Daniel HULL; 6 Brett PATTON; 7 Joseph OVERY; 8 Rhyle OVENDEN (c); 9 James HULL; 10 Charlie BALL; 11 Callum BARLOW (14 Charlie PURVIS, 54′); 19 James STONE; 20 Jorge NONES. Not used: 5 Zach ROBITAILLE; 15 Alfie GANDER; 16 Samuel SCOTT; 18 Teddy LOFT.
Booked: Ovenden.
Attendance: 371.
