SUTTON COMMON ROVERS   2 (Africa 65’ ; Aziz pen 72’)
GUERNSEY                                 2 (Murray 26’; Loaring pen 90+1’)

Matt Loaring kept his cool to snatch Guernsey a useful point at Sutton Common Rovers on Bank Holiday Monday.

It was a bit of a scrappy affair where, give or take, the only meaningful shots were the four goals.

But Guernsey will consider it a job well done, getting their first point on the board of the season and overcoming the injuries of Tom Dodds and Ross Allen.

Darnell Bromfield had the first effort on target of the game inside the quarter-hour, but he shot straight at Josh Addison.

As for Guernsey, Brandon Wallace was the beneficiary of Owen Wallbridge tussling for a loose ball with his marker, but volleyed over from 25 yards. Gauvain was also tripped right on the edge of the area - his free-kick hit the wall and he volleyed the rebound harmlessly over.

Guernsey’s opener on 26 minutes was brilliant. Jacques Cauvin collected the ball on the left and shrugged off several challenges to manoeuvre across the pitch and pick out the overlapping run of Niall Hainsworth. He whipped in a cross that was delivered perfectly for Sam Murray to arrive and head down past Roshan Greensall, giving the Green Lions the lead for the first time this season.

There was very little goalmouth action either side of the break, and it took until the midway point of the second half for a decent chance on goal, which unfortunately resulted in an equaliser for the hosts. The ball was played in from the right, where it was met by Adam Aziz. Addison did well to make the initial save but there was nothing he could do as substitute Noah Africa was in the perfect place to tap the rebound into the empty net from barely a yard out.

Guernsey were not content to settle for the point though, and rediscovered their ambition. Moments after the restart, Jacques Cauvin drove into the box at the end of a neat passing move. The loose ball form the resulting challenge fell for Wallbridge, but a defensive block tackle kept the shot at bay. Sam Murray then nodded over as a Green Lions corner caused problems in the hosts’ box.

Rovers turned the game around with just under 20 minutes to play. Jacques Cauvin was adjudged to have caught Jayden Smith as he drove into the area and the hosts were awarded a penalty. Aziz gave Addison the eyes and sent him off balance before tucking the ball the other way into the bottom left corner for 2-1.

Guernsey’s leveller in stoppage time came in almost identical fashion, with a trip on Cauvin just inside the area, on the right-hand side. If he gave the first, the referee had no choice but to give the second, and pointed to the spot. The pressure was on Loaring, but he kept his cool to find the back of the net.

Tony Vance side did attempt the late flurry to snatch a winner but couldn’t force another opening, but the point means Guernsey end the Bank Holiday weekend outside the bottom four.

Monday’s other results were as follows: Badshot Lea 1-2 Horndean, Binfield 1-3 Ascot United, Hanworth Villa 4-1 Ashford Town, Harrow Borough 3-0 Uxbridge; Hartley Wintney P-P Rayners Lane, Kingstonian 2-4 Raynes Park Vale, South Park (Reigate) 1-1 Metropolitan Police, Southall 0-4 Hayes & Yeading United, Westfield 3-1 Leatherhead.

SUTTON COMMON ROVERS: 1 Roshan GREENSALL; 2 Kieran SMITH; 3 Matt TANTON (c); Darnell BROMFIELD; 5 Kwabena OSEI; 6 Bertie LLOYD; 7 Jayden SMITH; 8 Tyrese OSBOURNE (14 Noah AFRICA, 35’); 9 Kareem AKINNIBI (16 Cam DOBELL, 62’); 10 Nahum MELVIN-LAMBERT (17 Timmy OBISANYA, 68’); 11 Adam AZEEZ (15 Osaretin OTETE, 78’) . Not used: 12 Bradley MANNING.

Booked: Osbourne, Tanton, Osei.

GUERNSEY: 1 Josh ADDISON; 2 Niall HAINSWORTH (12 Fin Du Port, 62’); 5 Tom VAUDIN; 7 Charlton GAUVAIN; 8 Matt LOARING (c); 9 Sam MURRAY; 11 Owen WALLBRIDGE (22 Fin PATTERSON, 72‘); 17 Brandon WALLACE (25 Oscar LEADBEATER, 81’); 18 Dave MERRIS; 21 Jacques CAUVIN; 27 Ben ACEY.

Booked: Murray, Gauvain, Acey.

Attendance: 87. 

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