ASHFORD TOWN 5 (Humphreys 4’; Day 12’; Gauvain OG 47’; Vorster 61’; Atkinson 90+2’)
GUERNSEY 0
Guernsey dropped back into the relegation zone on goal difference after a flat performance against a highly charged Ashford Town on Tuesday night.
The Green Lions started slowly and found themselves 2-0 down inside 12 minutes on a cold night, and an unfortunate Charlton Gauvain own goal moments after the second half restart quickly killed off any hopes of a second-half turnaround. The hosts added two more before the end to add gloss to the scoreline and issue the perfect response to their thrashing at bottom side Badshot Lea at the weekend.
There was not much they could do about the first as Tangerines captain Sam Humphrey gave Seb Sheppard no chance with his curler into the top corner.
Scott Day slid in at the near post to convert a low cross and double the hosts’ lead on 12 minutes.
A half-hearted penalty shout as Ross Allen went to ground under pressure and a header from returning captain Jamie Dodd that was saved by Marcin Brzozowski were all the visitors could muster in the first half.
Sheppard pulled off a great save to keep it at two shortly before the break, parrying and then holding the ball before it crept over the line.
GFC started the second like a freight train to try and catch Ashford off guard and get back into the game, and they nearly did as Allen volleyed at goal, but it was blocked.
But that fire was quickly extinguished as the hosts made it three to kill the momentum less than two minutes into the second half. Alex Ward’s heavy touch in midfield allowed Ashford to burst forward down the left. Jack Arnold squared from the left across the six-yard box where Gauvain had bust a gut to get back but could only help the ball beyond Sheppard.
Wallace slips in Allen as the Green Lions looked for a quick response, but his early shot was straight at Brzozowski.
Sheppard made another vital block from a low shot, just plucking the rebound off the line as the ball spun out his grip, but it game over, if it hadn’t been before, just after the hour as Jacob Fallaize overran the ball in midfield, presenting the Tangerines with another break. The ball was pulled back from the byline for George Vorster to stroke in a fourth.
Sheppard flung himself to his left to push away Arnold’s drive, while Lewis Flatman fired wide. Guernsey carved out a couple more half chances as Gauvain’s shot was deflected into the arms of Brzozowski. Wallace also drove at goal after a neat move but the Ashford stopper plucked it out of its trajectory.
Niall Hainsworth screwed narrowly wide from the edge of the box, but not before substitute Jayden Porter Atkinson tucked a fifth out of Sheppard reach into the bottom corner in injury time. The Green Lions must brush this off quickly with a trip to Moneyfields on Saturday.
Guernsey are back inside the bottom four of Isthmian South Central, only ahead of Ashford on goals scored due to a concerning goal swing of 10. Luckily, we still have games in hand. Tuesday night’s other results were as follows: Leatherhead 2-1 Horndean, Raynes Park Vale 2-3 Hartley Wintney.
ASHFORD TOWN: 1 Marcin BRZOZOWSKI; 2 Archie LARKHAM; 3 Barsa MIRTAHMASEBI; 4 Scott DAY; 5 Reuben COLLINS; 6 Elliott POLEY; 7 Jack ARNOLD; 8 David NYARKO (14 Lewis David FLATMAN, 68’); 9 James KING; 10 Sam HUMPHREY (c) (15 Jayden PORTER ATKINSON, 82’); 11 George VORSTER. Not used: 16 Prince KANDOLO; 17 Paul McCARTHY.
Booked: Vorster, Arnold.
GUERNSEY: 13 Seb SHEPPARD; 3 Jamie DODD (c); 4 Tom DODDS; 7 Charlton GAUVAIN; 9 Sam MURRAY; 10 Ross ALLEN (14 Simon ARNOLD, 74’); 12 Fin DU PORT; 17 Brandon WALLACE: 20 Alex WARD (2 Niall HAINSWORTH, 69’); 22 Fin PATTERSON; 24 Jacob FALLAIZE.
Booked: Dodds.
Attendance: 77.
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