It’s set up to be a close contest at Victoria Park on Saturday afternoon as Bexhill United arrive locked on the same number of points as Guernsey FC.
The Green Lions have played a game less, but both teams go into the clash in form with the visitors unbeaten in four league games and Tony Vance’s side aiming for a fifth straight win in the Southern Combination Premier Division.
Goal difference means the Sarnians are unlikely to move up the table with a Halloween victory, but they have games in hand over all the teams above them.
Guernsey have good numbers and Vance has the right kind of selection headache and will have to decide whether or not he will stick with the 16 involved in the win over Little Common a fortnight ago. Sam Murray is set to make his 150th appearance for the club (he will be the 20th player to do so), while Jacob Fallaize is set to move past the injured Josh Addison up to 17th in the club’s all-time appearance list. Niall Hainsworth and Simon Arnold are available again, Charlton Gauvain is nearing a return, while Matt Loaring is still recovering for a minor knee operation.
We scored four times away from home on two occasions against Bexhill last season (in the FA Vase and the league), but the Pirates ran us close when they visited Victoria Park in March. Callum Le Lacheur bagged the winner early in the second half after the away side had come back from two early goals to make it 2-2 at the break. GFC had to see out the closing stages under pressure with 10 men after Dave Merris had received a second yellow card.
Jack Shonk, who scored in this fixture last season, is Bexhill’s most prized treasure to watch out for. Having bagged 24 goals last season, he already has another seven this campaign.
Saturday’s match kicks off at 1.30pm. Supporters who can’t make it to Victoria Park can listen to full live commentary on our @GuernseyFC X Space, as well as keep up to date with our social media posts.
Guernsey FC Women are hoping to finally bag that first home win of the season on Sunday afternoon against Whitchurch United.
Having been left frustrated on several occasions at Victoria Park so far, the Green Lionesses will hope to put that to rest against a team lower than them in the table.
Whitchurch is a new name, but they were in the league as Bemerton Heath Harlequins last season, with the two teams merging for this campaign.
A big enough win could take Anna Gauvain’s side as high as fifth on goal difference. Codie Le Flem is one goal shy of becoming the second player to bag 20 for the club, while Ruby Smith is one off double figures. Smith and Heidi Dawber could each make their 20th appearance for the club.
Alana Hockey won’t challenge Emma Queripel for the gloves having dislocated her finger and so could be out for a while and Aimee Ogier is away, but Mollie Watson, Elise Le Lacheur and Calleigh Hedley all return after missing last Sunday’s 1-0 defeat to AFC Varsity.
The full squad is as follows: Emma Queripel, Mollie Watson, Scarlett Kenneally, Elenista Lambrou, Zakiyya Qasim, Candice Bougourd, Donna Gallienne, Amy Dallamore, Heidi Dawber, Elise Le Lacheur, Eryn James, Adrienne Leech, Codie Le Flem, Ruby Smith, Calleigh Hedley.
Sunday’s match kicks off at 1pm. Supporters who can’t make it to Victoria Park can keep up to date with our social media posts.
A match report will follow both matches.
