Goal: Rihoy 7'.
Guernsey produced a masterclass in game management and defending a lead as they secured a huge result in their bid to avoid the drop.
Dave Rihoy’s early strike was enough to earn the Green Lions a hard-fought 1-0 triumph at East Grinstead.
After a year without a win on the road, Tony Vance’s side have earned two in their last four and the team managed the game to perfection on Saturday to prevent their in-for hosts from getting a decent sniff of goal after the Sarnians had taken an early lead at the GAC Stadium.
That came as Rihoy pounced on a slip from Wasps stopping Chris Haigh in the seventh minute, allowing the number seven to get past him and poke the ball into an empty net. His ninth goal of the season makes him the Green Lions' top scorer.
But Guernsey had nearly fallen behind within 16 seconds as Tashi Kawyie was put through almost straight from kick-off but Tom Le Tissier, making only his second appearance for the club, spread himself and blocked with his legs.
Apart from one other chance though - when Le Tissier made another important block to deny Marcus Elliott when he was put through by a fortuitous deflection on the quarter-hour mark – the Wasps lacked sting and Guernsey’s resolute defending prevented them from having another clear cut chance in the whole match.
Craig Young nearly made it two within 10 minutes. GFC were pressing high early on and it nearly paid dividends as they won the ball back high up the pitch and a good move saw Rihoy pull it back for Dom Heaume. His pass was scuffed by Keanu Marsh but the ball fell for Young, whose low shot looked destined for the corner but Haigh scrambled to his left to make a last ditch stop – palming it wide.
There wasn’t too much clear-cut action to speak of for the rest of the game as the Green Lions organised themselves to hold onto a key result.
Tom Cadman hooked a volley well over from the corner of the area just after half-an-hour and Alex Mulrooney-Skinner’s header bounced narrowly wide of the far post after good work down the left from Dan Hogan and Marcus Elliott five minutes before the break as GFC looked relatively comfortable overall.
Rihoy was presented an almost identical chance to his goal nine minutes into the second half as Haigh hesitated on a backpass, but this time the stopper made the block. Craig Young’s shot from Thomas Dodd’s pinpoint pass three minutes later was scuffed and held by Haigh.
Le Tissier made two important but comfortable saves before the hour as he held Charlie Harris’ free-kick that was straight at him, then dived left to hold substitute Travis Gregory’s distance effort.
The only real heart-in-mouth moment for Guernsey in the second half came from a close-range scramble but somehow Kwayie was denied as the ball was deflected behind. The forward also crossed for Elliott at the far post, but the number 10 couldn’t control the ball when well placed.
Paris Pereira replaced Rihoy with 20 minutes left and was full of running. He dragged a shot wide moments after coming on, having cut in from the left wing.
Elliott bundled the ball in at the far post in the last minute of the 90, which would have broken GFC hearts, but the referee quickly ruled it out for a fouled on Le Tissier, who had come out to claim.
The Guernsey stopper again held comfortably from Elliott’s distance effort in the dying moments but overall the Green Lions hadn’t been overly troubled and can be very satisfied with a solid afternoon’s work that gives them extra breathing space from the relegation zone. Although we remain 21st, we have closed the gap on Molesey and Chipstead.
The other Ryman South results were as follows: Chipstead 2-2 Cray Wanderers, Dorking Wanderers 3-0 Ramsgate, Godalming Town 0-3 Tooting & Mitcham United, Greenwich Borough 3-2 Faversham Town, Hastings United 2-2 Chatham Town, Horsham 2-0 Corinthian-Casuals, Hythe Town 2-1 Sittingbourne, Molesey 0-4 Lewes, South Park 3-2 Carshalton Athletic, Three Bridges 4-0 Whyteleafe, Walton Casuals 4-4 Herne Bay.
East Grinstead Town: Chris Haigh ©, Jason Davis (Alex Gaggin 59’), Tom Cadman, Will Thomas, Ricardo Thompson, Jake McIntyre (Charlie Baker 83’), Dan Hogan, Charlie Harris, Tashi Kwayie, Marcus Elliott, Alex Mulrooney-Skinner (Travis Gregory 60’). Not used: George Wallis, Malachi Robinson.
Booked: Mulrooney-Skinner.
APPEARANCES | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Shirt | Player | Yellow Cards | Red Cards | Goals |
1 | Tom Le Tissier | - | - | - |
2 | Keanu Marsh | - | - | - |
3 | Tom De La Mare | - | - | - |
4 | Sam Cochrane | - | - | - |
5 | Jacob Fallaize | - | - | - |
6 | Angus Mackay | - | - | - |
7 | Dave Rihoy (Paris Pereira 71') | - | - | 1 |
8 | Tom Dodds | - | - | - |
9 | Dominic Heaume | - | - | - |
10 | Craig Young (Seb Skillen 90') | - | - | - |
11 | Matt Loaring | 1 | - | - |
Substitutes | ||||
1 | Paris Pereira | - | - | - |
2 | Seb Skillen | - | - | - |