GUERNSEY   1 (Murray 65')
SOUTHALL   0

If Guernsey are drinking in the last chance saloon, they keep ordering extra rounds.

Sam Murray ended his goal drought with the winner midway through the second half at Victoria Park on Sunday afternoon as the Green Lions saw off Southall and narrowed the gap to safety to three points.

It was just rewards for a performance full of character and the Sarnians were certainly deserving of their prize having taken the game to their opponents.

Tony Vance's side went out on the front foot and deserved something from the first half hour in which they put plenty of pressure on the visitors' goal with barely a flicker of action at the other end, except for one huge let off.

GFC tried to keep their opponents pinned back and get in the ascendency. Less than five minutes in, Dave Merris hooked a ball back into the Southall area that was headed back across goal by Charlton Gauvain from the far post. Ross Allen stretched to get his head on it but the ball looped over.

Matt Loaring then released man-of-the-match Jacques Cauvin out wide. Cauvin hared down the right and whipped a low first-time cross that Allen met on the half volley, but his effort whistled just wide across goal.

After a great move across the pitch, Cauvin head on for Allen who hooked the ball over his head to send Gauvain into the area. The number seven perhaps should have centred for Loaring or Murray, but took the shot on himself from the angle and sent it just over the top.

Midway through the half, there was a flashpoint by the Guernsey dugout as a Southall player clashed with personnel on the bench over a loose ball that had gone out for a throw-in. A melee ensued that involved every person on the Southall bench sprinting down the touchline. When it all calmed down, Jacob Fallaize and Ryan Hope were booked for their part in it – the latter was to especially come to regret it.

Fin du Port curled just wide from the edge of the D after being teed up by Allen, then Guernsey's captain was sent through on goal but dragged his low shot just wide with Max Foulkes narrowing the angle.

Southall's only chance of the half would have been a suckerpunch for the Green Lions as Lanseny Traore drove in from the right and squared for Bright Siaw, who had the goal at his mercy. The home crowd was left breathing a sigh of relief as he blazed over from six yards when it was easier to score.

Jacob Fallaize headed high and wide as he stretched to meet a Gauvain free-kick to the far post, but the greens would have to settle for going in level at the break.

The visitors had managed to slow GFC's impetus towards the end of the first half and the hosts found it harder to create chances in a tighter second half. Josh Addison was the hero just after the hour with a huge save to keep the scores level and prevent a swing of momentum.

After a scramble in the box, substitute Jordi Ebanda turned the loose ball towards goal from close range but the Guernsey stopper stuck out a leg to divert it wide. He made another important stop just a couple of minutes later to cover for a defensive mix-up in which he and a team-mate went for the same ball, presenting the loose ball for a shot at goal.

In between that, Murray knocked down Allen's cross from the right for Loaring to hook over his shoulder towards goal, but it was straight at Foulkes.

The winner came just before the midway point of the half and was a thrilling goal to witness as the ball travelled from one end to the other in a blistering Guernsey counter-attack. Gauvain headed away a corner, with Loaring picking up the loose ball on the edge of the box and driving forward at pace into the Southall half. He was forced to check but found support to his left in the form of Cauvin, who in turn moved the ball quickly on to Murray.

The big number nine was away into the area and went for the dink with the outside of his right food, nudging the ball over the advancing Foulkes and it trickled in before the retreating defender could get there to keep it out, sparking delirium around Victoria Park. It was also a relief for the forward to get his first goal in 15 appearances and hit double figures for the third season running.

Just a couple of minutes later, the Green Lions were given another lift when Hope brought down Gauvain as he looked to break from the centre circle on another counter, prompting a second yellow from the referee and the visitors would have to see the game out a man short.

But there was still a long way to go for GFC to be sure of victory. A man to the good, they sought to put the game to bed. Gauvain beat Foulkes to Loaring's deep cross but his header was cleared off the line.

Substitute Zach Gilman did really well on the right wing to keep possession with 10 minutes left and tee up Loaring for a low cross. Allen stretched to stick out a toe towards the ball but couldn’t quite get enough on it and it rolled just wide.

Addison was relieved to see a 25-yard curler from Bailey Lamb fly just wide to his left, but that was all the away side had left to offer. Substitute Simon Arnold teed up Gauvain on the left for a low drive towards the near post, but Foulkes held. Cauvin also threw himself at a Gauvain corner but his header flew just wide.

But one was enough and the Green Lions' fight for survival rumbles bravely, with eight points from their last four games giving them every chance.

Horndean look to be safe now after a surprising thrashing of Hartley Wintney on Saturday, while Metropolitan Police picked up a similarly crucial win against Badshot Lea, but defeat for Ashford Town saw GFC move up a place, and have reeled in South Park back to three points after they lost at Rayners Lane.

The weekend's other Isthmian South Central results were as follows: Ascot United 6-0 Westfield, Ashford Town 1-3 Moneyfields, Farnham Town 2-0 Kingstonian, Hayes & Yeading United 4-3 Binfield, Horndean 4-0 Hartley Wintney, Leatherhead 2-1 Hanworth Villa., Metropolitan Police 2-1 Badshot Lea, Raynes Lane 2-1 South Park (Reigate), Raynes Park Vale 1-1 Harrow Borough, Uxbridge 0-1 Sutton Common Rovers.

GUERNSEY: 1 Josh ADDISON; 4 Tom DODDS; 7 Charlton GAUVAIN; 8 Matt LOARING; 9 Sam MURRAY (26 Zach GILMAN, 75'); 10 Ross ALLEN (c) (22 Fin PATTERSON, 90+1'); 12 Fin DU PORT; 17 Brandon WALLACE (14 Simon ARNOLD, 66'); 18 Dave Merris; 21 Jacques CAUVIN; 24 Jacob FALLAIZE. Not used: 13 Seb SHEPPARD; 20 Alex WARD.

Booked: Fallaize, Loaring, Gauvain, Wallace.

SOUTHALL: 1 Max FOULKES; 3 Azeez ALABI (c); 4 Ryan HOPE; 5 Romey MEODED; 6 Bailey LAMB; 8 Lanseny TRAORE; 9 Anthony O'CONNOR; 10 Brandan MATTHEW; 11 Bright SIAW; 15 Christian MULINDWA; 17 Kyron RICHARDS. Not used: 13 Michael EDEGBE; 2 Alex NOLAN; 14 Jordi EBANDA; 16 Jack WILLIAMS; 18 James McCLUSKEY.

Booked: Siaw, Hope. Sent off: Hope.

Attendance: 891.