WESTFIELD 1 (Gogonas 60’)
GUERNSEY 2 (Allen 49’; Murray 70’)
Guernsey moved out of the relegation zone for the first time since September with a vital win at Westfield on Saturday afternoon.
Sam Murray’s 30th goal for the club, which took him past Craig Young into clear sixth in the overall charts, was the difference as leapfrogged Sutton Common Rovers and Metropolitan Police.
In truth, it was a scrappy game with the first half particularly poor in quality, not helped by an unforgiving surface. There were over-and under-hit passes, bobbles, heavy first touches and wild shots a-plenty from both sides.
But the Green Lions knuckled down in the second half and Murray slammed in the winner with 20 minutes left after Manolis Gogonas had cancelled out Ross Allen’s headed opener to condemn the hosts to an eighth game without a win.
Brandon Wallace was wayward from distance twice, Gogonas sliced wide from the edge of the area and Seb Sheppard, making only his second appearance for the club, parried to deny Gary Abisogun from the angle in a scrappy first period. One rare moment of quality saw the ever dangerous Charlton Gauvain ride several challenges cutting in from the left and driving just over.
Both sides dealt with the conditions better after the break and the first big chance came within a couple of minutes as the Sarnians were opened up on the counter attack. A cross came in from the right and Goganas was unmarked in the six-yard box for a simple header but somehow nodded wide.
Gauvain blazed miles over from outside of the box just before the Greens took the lead out of the blue. Owen Wallbridge won a free-kick on the left wing and Allen beat everyone else to Gauvain’s curled delivery, glancing a header on and into the net from six yards.
Guernsey’s number 10 and captain for the day sent one miles over himself when well placed, on an afternoon where several players seemed to get caught out by a bobble or divet as they took a shot.
Jack Beadle also sliced over, and Wallbridge wide, but the Yellas changed their shape and worked their way back into it on the hour. One direct ball forward from the right split the GFC defence and Gogonas ran onto it and stroked it home first time under Sheppard from the edge of the area for his fifth goal in six games.
Sheppard recovered well to dive on the ball and prevent Gogonas turning home a rebound after he had spilled John Adebiyi’s initial effort, while Toni Adaje dragged wide across Sheppard’s goal from a tight angle and a Tom Dodds deflection took another Adaje shot into the arms of the GFC stopper.
Any signs of the serial GFC collapse were allayed on 70 minutes as Murray bagged his milestone goal. He was unlucky not to score moments earlier as he controlled Gauvain’s free-kick into the box and swivelled only to see his volley deflected over. Gauvain’s corner was headed out as far as Dave Merris for a sweet strike from range that was blocked. The ball bounced back to Merris, who carried into the area where Murray collected, swivelled and fired into the bottom corner.
The visitors naturally came under pressure in the closing stages as they defended their precious lead, but they managed the game well overall.
There were a couple of close calls, particularly as the hosts broke down the right. Gary Abisogun’s low show was pushed away by Sheppard and Didi Ndombe should have buried the rebound from close range. But somehow, a combination of Niall Hainsworth (more than making up for giving away a 100th-minute penalty last weekend) and Dodds kept it out.
Sheppard made another good diving save to push away Lui Edwards’ free-kick, while substitute Fin Patterson breathed a sigh of relief as he dithered and lost the ball on the edge of his own area, but luckily Malik Sesay sent his shot narrowly over. Moments before, Jacob Fallaize had blocked from Adebiyi.
After fighting to keep the ball in the corner for the final few seconds, the final whistle confirmed Guernsey’s move up to 18th, which they clung onto after the 3pm kick-offs. Saturday’s other results were as follows: Ascot United 0-1 Hanworth Villa, Badshot Lea 6-3 Ashford Town, Binfield 1-0 Metropolitan Police, Hartley Wintney 0-0 Harrow Borough, Hayes & Yeading United 1-1 Rayners Lane, Kingstonian 1-1 Leatherhead, South Park (Reigate) 2-2 Horndean, Southall 0-3 Moneyfields, Sutton Common Rovers 0-1 Farnham Town, Uxbridge 2-2 Raynes Park Vale.
WESTFIELD: 1 Lewis GALLIFENT; 2 Jonny EFEDJE; 3 Manolis GOGONAS; 4 Caleb WRIGHT (c); 5 Malik SESAY; 6 Quincy ROWE (14 John ADEBIYI, 56’); 7 Jack BEADLE (12 Didi NDOMBE, 66’); 8 Andrew CROSSLEY (17 Sidney CANNON, 73’); 10 Gary ABISOGUN; 11 Tobi ADAJE (9 Lui EDWARDS, 66’); 15 Samuel BALOGUN. Not used: 16 Luke ELLIOTT.
Booked: Crossley, Adebiyi.
GUERNSEY: 13 Seb SHEPPARD; 4 Tom DODDS; 7 Charlton GAUVAIN; 9 Sam MURRAY; 10 Ross ALLEN (c); 11 Owen WALLBRIDGE; 12 Fin DU PORT; 14 Simon ARNOLD; 17 Brandon WALLACE; 18 Dave MERRIS; 24 Jacob FALLAIZE. Not used: 5 Tom VAUDIN.
Booked: du Port, Allen.
Attendance: 141.
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