RAYNERS LANE 3 (Connell 12’; Lawson 15’; Buchanan 84’)
GUERNSEY 2 (Acey 56’; Loaring (pen) 64’).
It was more late frustration for Guernsey but they could count themselves high unlucky to leave the Tithe Farm Social Club with nothing.
After a bright start, the Green Lions were stunned to find themselves 2-0 down after a quarter of an hour. But an excellent second half saw them roar back onto level terms. From then on, it only looked there would only be one winner, only for the hosts to nick a late winner on the rebound.
The Green Lions almost took the lead in the opening moments as Fin Du Port cut in from the left and bent towards goal. Matthew Burrows could only push it up in the air, and just about got the better of Matt Loaring as the GFC captain had two bites at trying to force it over the line. Burrows also fielded a rare bouncing effort from Tom Vaudin.
Du Port was finding plenty of joy down the left, and a wicked low delivery whipped across the six-yard box just evaded team mates in the middle. Du Port unfortauntely scuffed from the edge of the box for Burrows to gather after Jacques Cauvin had overlapped down the right and delivered another dangerous ball. Cauvin had been set away by a brilliant first-time switch out wide from Sam Murray.
The hosts’ opener on 12 minutes was completely against the run of play as Amos’s pass sliced open the defence and Reece Grant placed past Josh Addison. The second three minutes later was a gift as Ben Acey’s backpass sold Addison short and Omar Sewa Lawson nipped in for one of the easiest finishes he’ll ever have. Acey was to make up for it later.
Addison saved with his feet to prevent Shermandin Artmeladze making it three almost straight away, but Guernsey found their composure again.
A low Acey shot from the corner was blocked before it could reach Burrows, while Simon Arnold’s low effort was blocked by Myles Anderson after Murray had kept the ball alive despite what looked like attempts to pull him back in the area. The referee waved the appeals away.
Moments later, Loaring got on the end of Arnold’s flick and found the far corner, but was denied by the offside flag. Acey then exchanged passes with Cauvin and went low for the far post from outside of the area but Burrows got down to scoop it wide.
Having been decent enough in the first half and unlucky to be two behind, the Sarnians produced a really strong second half showing that deserved more than a late defeat as they came roaring back to level terms.
An early sighter from Gauvain didn't catch Burrows out as the home keeper to retreive the ball as it bounced up, with the same outcome as Loaring also tried the same. Josh Addison also held under pressure as Reece Grant tried to curl into the far corner.
Ten minutes into the second half, Guernsey got back into it. Murray pinged a volley out to the left to meet the run of Du Port, who swung a cross in from the left looking to return the favour. Murray had carried on his run into the box and got something on it to loop the ball up for Acey. His header was blocked by Burrows but the rebound dropped kindly for Acey to sort out his feet and roll it in at the near post.
Hainsworth dragged well off-target from distance as GFC looked to capitalise on this new momentum, with Daniel Uchechi blasting high and wide at the other end. From the resulting goal-kick, the Sarnians forced their leveller midway through the second half.
Cauvin's perseverance down the right battling for the ball with Miles Anderson saw the Rayners Lane defence trip the Guernsey's wing-back on the right-hand side of the box. While Anderson was protesting, Gauvain took it quickly and pulled it back for Murray to strike it first time. The effort was blocked and as Murray chasing the rebound as it looped up in the air, he was sent flying by a clumsy challenge from Marco Correia. Burrows went the right way and got a hand to Loaring's penalty, but there was just enough power for it to nestle in the bottom corner.
Vance's side were definitely in the ascendency now, with substitute Owen Wallbridge having a shot blocked by the home defence in a sustained spell of pressure from the visitors. Murray slid in to meet a dangerous low cross from the right by Gauvain, but collides with Burrows as the stopper tried to collect, resulting in a long injury stoppage for Rayners Lane keeper.
It was very much against the run of play when the hosts got their winner with five minutes of normal time remaining. Callum Webb cut in from the left and tried his luck from outside the area, cutting back across the ball aiming for the bottom corner. Addison couldn’t reach it at full stretch and the ball bounced off the foot of the post. Unfortunately, it rebounded back into the six-yard box where, with Addison already sprawling from the first effort, substitute Elliott Buchanan was able to tap into an empty net.
There was still plenty of injury time to play due to Burrows' earlier injury but the Green Lions were unable to find the leveller they deserved, despite some wicked deliveries into the box that they couldn't quite turn home. Loaring also dragged an effort wide from outside the area.
If Guernsey continue to play like this the wins will start to return. This was a performance to build on.
Guernsey remain second from bottom in Isthmian South Central. Saturday’s other results were as follows: Ascot United 3-2 Moneyfields, Badshot Lea 0-2 Binfield, Farnham Town 1-1 Southall, Harrow Borough 2-2 Leatherhead, Hartley Wintney 2-1 Sutton Common Rovers, Hayes & Yeading United 1-2 Kingstonian, Metropolitan Police 0-2 Uxbridge, Raynes Park Vale 4-0 Horndean, South Park (Reigate) 3-0 Ashford Town, Westfield 1-3 Hanworth Villa.
RAYNERS LANE: 1 Matthew BURROWS; 2 Marco CORREIA; 3 Callum WEBB; 4 Germain DUA; 5 Myles ANDERSON; 6 Rio CONNELL 7; Shermandin ARTMELADZE (16 Shamal EDWARDS, 59’); 8 Amos NASHA; 9 Reece GRANT (14 Elliott BUCHANAN, 80’); 10 Frank KEITA (c) (12 Hassan JALLOH, 81’); 11 Omar SEWA LAWSON (17 Daniel UCHECHI, 74’). Not used: 15 Jack McKNIGHT.
Booked: Grant, Edwards.
GUERNSEY: 1 Josh ADDISON, 2 Niall HAINSWORTH; 5 Tom VAUDIN; 7 Charlton GAUVAIN; 8 Matt LOARING (c); 9 Sam MURRAY; 12 Fin DU PORT (17 Brandon WALLACE, 56’); 14 Simon ARNOLD (11 Owen WALLBRIDGE, 55’); 18 Dave MERRIS (4 Tom DODDS, 71’); 21 Jacques CAUVIN; 27 Ben ACEY (20 Alex WARD 94’).
Booked: Wallace, Acey.
Attendance: 97.
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