GUERNSEY    1 (Allen pen 35’)
BINFIELD      2 (Hilton 5’; Gold 90+5’)

Guernsey only have themselves to blame after being suckerpunched by Binfield with virtually the last kick off the game at Footes Lane on Wednesday night.

Having worked their way level at half-time from the spot in a rather uninspiring first half, the Green Lions were much improved from an offensive point of view in the second half, but didn’t capitalise and the Moles pinched it five minutes into injury time thanks to a well-taken half-volley from substitute Ethan Gold.

If it’s still too early in the season to be a must-win, it was certainly a must-not-lose, and Tony Vance will be furious with his team for blowing a golden opportunity to leapfrog their opponents and move out of the relegation zone. 

Proceedings started in similar fashion to Saturday as GFC fell behind early on. Kickie Dzimba did well to keep a deep left-wing cross in play, then his trickery on the byline earned him a yard to pull a low ball to the edge of the six-yard box, where Jamie Hilton benefitted from a richochet off a defender before stroking it under Josh Addison.

Addison comfortably claimed a looper from Tone Glenn Kusel-Gabriel and Rahzir Smith-Jones lifted high and wide after good hold up play in the area by Charlie George as Guernsey struggled to get going. We were past the midway point of the half when we had our first sniff at goal as Charlton Gauvain couldn’t quite keep the ball in play at the far post as he tried to reach a deep Fin Du Port cross.

The Green Lions were given their lifeline with a little over 10 minutes left in the half. Ross Allen peeled off to collect a short free-kick and saw his initial shot blocked. He went down under a challenge as he attempted to get to the rebound, and the referee pointed to the spot. Allen stuck the ball calmly in the bottom right corner.

This finally sparked some life into GFC and Simon Arnold could have headed his side in front from close range but was perhaps surprised to see the ball reach him at the far post from Niall Hainsworth’s high cross, and the header bounced down and into the possession of Binfield keeper Coleridge Fubler rather than towards the back of the net.

It could then have been a goal at the other end within seconds as Fubler cleared straight up field and Binfield were on the counter and outnumbering the Guernsey defence. Dzimba was through and should have restored the leas for his side but Addison stood his ground to make a vital block.

Sam Murray also thought he had turned it around as he rose to plant a header into the corner from an excellent Brandon Wallace cross, but his delight was quickly turned to disappointment by the offside flag.

The equaliser had swung the momentum and the Sarnians had much more purpose about them as they came back out for the second half. A downpour as the teams returned from the break made the surface slick and Charlton Gauvain’s wicked drive from outside the area dipped just in front of Fubler, who managed to divert it wide.

Most of Guernsey’s threat in the second half came down the right. Just before the hour, Fin Du Port did well to shrug off the attentions of Theo Pennicott-Bowen and his pull-back found its way to Matt Loaring, who couldn’t quite get his out from under his feet and saw his half volley whistle just over.

There was still the odd threat from the visitors, with Addison pushing away from Dzimba at his near post and then getting down to block as Kusel-Gabriel cut in from the left and shot low.

Gauvain’s trickery on the right took him past Pennicott-Bowen and flashed a low cross right across goal.Loaring made contact at the far post, but somehow diverted the ball back where it came from rather than over the line.

Gauvain's corners were also causing problems and two wicked deliveries to the far post were met by Cauvin and Murray respectively, but neither was able to time their jump and get their headers on target. 

A warning of what was to come came with three minutes to go as Hilton swivelled and volleyed from the edge of the box but the ball zipped just wide. Addison made a further simple save as he gathered as Brighton Morrison tried to loop a volley over him.

Many a time have the Green Lions not capitalised on their momentum and been punished, and this all-too-familiar tale haunted them again as the game reach its fifth and final minute of injury time. Two of Binfield’s substitutes combined as Daquio Stewart dug out a cross from the left that looped up to the edge of the box. Gold and caught it perfectly just as it was hitting the deck, stroking the dropping ball under Addison and into the back of the net, sparking wild celebrations involving almost the entire bench running down to the corner for a pile-up.

There was barely time to kick-off and the Sarnians were left to rue a wasted opportunity, also equalling the club record of five consecutive defeats at home, first set in the opening two months of 2017. They need a response at Rayners Lane on Saturday.

Guernsey remain second-from-bottom in Isthmian South Central. In the other midweek results, Ashford Town pulled off a shock by beating Kingstonian 7-4, while Ascot United earned a late 2-2 draw at Hayes & Yeading United.

GUERNSEY: 1 Josh ADDISON; 2 Niall HAINSWORTH; 5 Tom VAUDIN; 7 Charlton GAUVAIN; 8 Matt LOARING; 9 Sam MURRAY; 10 Ross ALLEN (c); 12 Fin DU PORT (4 Tom DODDS, 78’); 14 Simon ARNOLD; 17 Brandon WALLACE (11 Owen WALLBRIDGE, 65’); 21 Jacques CAUVIN. Not used: 18 Dave MERRIS; 20 Alex WARD; 22 Fin PATTERSON.

Booked: Du Port, Arnold, Allen, Gauvain.

BINFIELD: 1 Coleridge FUBLER JR ; 2 Harvey GRIFFITHS ; 3 Theo PENNICOTT-BOWEN; 4 Luke WAYBORN ; 5 Josh McMENEMY ; 6 Daniel LEWIS (c) ; 7 Rahzir SMITH-JONES (15 Brighton MORRISON, 85’); 8 Jamie HILTON (12 Ethan GOLD, 90’) ; 9 Kickie DZIMBA ; 10 Charlie GEORGE (16 Riley ROBINSON, 66’) ; 11 Tone Glenn KUSEL-GABRIEL (17 Daquio STEWART, 80’). Not used : 14 Jack BREWER.

Booked : Wayborn, Hilton, Dzimba.

Attendance: 502.

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