| GUERNSEY | 2 | – | 1 | AFC VARNDEANIANS |
| Dodd 12′ Murray 61′ | Durand 51′ |
Sam Murray continued his fine form to net the winner as Guernsey edged past AFC Varndeanians to start 2026 with a victory and get back on the winning trail.
It was cometh the hour, cometh the man, as Murray’s 13th goal in seven games put his side back in front and edged him past Marc McGrath into fifth in the club’s all-time goalscorers list.
The Green Lions were in control most of the game and could have made the game more comfortable, but they had to hold firm to see off a late rally from their in-form visitors, who were unbeaten in four and had moved off the bottom of the table.
There was an early scare as Elliott Hanslow wriggled free in the box and shot past Josh Addison inside five minutes, but the ball bounced mercifully off the foot of the post.
An early sighter from Gil Hunter aside, which flew just past the near post from outside the area, it was a bit of a scrappy start from GFC, who took a while to click into gear. But they did after the opener from club captain Jamie Dodd.
It was a continuation of Guernsey’s set-piece dominance as Dodd judged Charlton Gauvain’s corner to perfection, catching it on the half-volley with his weaker right foot as it dropped and sending it past Fraser Trigwell from just outside the six-yard box (above).
Chances were still few and far between, with Gauvain’s ambitious bicycle kick from the edge of the area a comfortable claim for Trigwell just before the half-hour. Murray should have doubled the lead two minutes later as Gauvain pulled back to him six-yards out but he scuffed his shot.
Ross Allen forced Trigwell to parry wide as he came close to finding the corner with a free-kick, and directed a Gauvain corner towards the far post only to see it cleared off the line.
The visitors only had one other shot in the first half that was comfortably claimed by Addison, but they found themselves level out of the blue a few minutes into the second half as Julian Durand shrugged off Jacob Fallaize to chase a ball over the top and get there just ahead of Addison to poke the ball in.
But the pattern of the game continued as the hosts controlled it and pressed to get back in front. A free-kick routine almost got them ahead against instantly as Allen collected from Gauvain and teed up Fin Patterson for a low cross, but Fin du Port couldn’t quite wrap his foot around the ball enough to curl it into the corner, with no one at the far past able to get a touch either.
Gauvain came within inches of the goal of the season as he turned 30 yards out and left fly. Trigwell was well beaten by the effort but it bounced mercifully off his crossbar and was scrambled away Unfortunately for the Vs, it was scrambled for a throw-in that let to the winner, as Dodd’s delivery bounced in the area and Murray reacted quickest to slam home from close range and move himself up the list.
He nearly had another three minutes later as du Port released Patterson down the right with a lovely pass. The number nine flung himself at the low cross and got a toe to it, but not quite enough to turn it home and it whistled agonisingly wide of the far post.
Having kept it a tight game, Varndeanians started to take risks in the closing stages, but substitute Harry Burgess’ low effort from the angle that was held comfortably by Addison was all they could muster as the home defence held firm in repelling high balls towards the box.
The Greens could still have made the game safe late on as Trigwell dived full stretch to claw away both Jacob Fallaize’s header and a sweetly struck left footer from Allen from outside the box moments later.
Murray came close again as substitute Callum Le Lacheur collected from Allen and dinked in a cross, but Murray’s point-blank header smacked the crossbar and bounced over.
It was tighter than they would have hoped, but Guernsey deserved the three points overall, much needed after a poor performance the previous week and set them up for a tough tough clash with in-form Eastbourne United next Saturday.
With a lot of games called off due to frost in on the mainland, GFC move up to third in the Southern Combination Premier Division thanks to Newhaven conceding a late equaliser against little Common. From the games that did go ahead, the other results were as follows: Eastbourne United 1-0 Crawley Down Gatwick, Newhaven 1-1 Little Common, Haywards Heath Town 4-0 Wick, Lancing 2-7 Steyning Town, Shoreham 1-3 Forest Row.
GUERNSEY: 1 Josh ADDISON; 3 Jamie DODD; 7 Charlton GAUVAIN; 9 Sam MURRAY; 10 Ross ALLEN (c); 12 Fin DU PORT; 16 Gil HUNTER; 18 Dave MERRIS; 22 Fin PATTERSON (17 Callum LE LACHEUR, 74′); 23 Frazer MAGINNIS (20 George GOUBERT, 76′); 24 Jacob FALLAIZE. Not used: 13 Seb SHEPPARD; 19 Will FAZAKERLEY; 25 Tyrese KELLY.
AFC VARNDEANIANS: 1 Fraser TRIGWELL; 2 Owen BENFELL; 3 Jacob THOMPSON; 18 Aaron LANGUMA (16 Chester COWLEY, 83′); 5 Omar BUKLEB (c); 6 Sam ROGERS; 7 Elliott HANSLOW (17 Harry BURGESS, 59′); 8 Alfie LOVERIDGE; 9 Julian DURAND; 10 Morris DENCH (15 Joel BISHOP, 90+2′); 11 Kian NANDHRA (14 Marley BIGG, 68′). Not used: 12 Connor HUNTER.
Attendance: 626.
