| BEMERTON HEATH HARLEQUINS | 2 | – | 3 | GUERNSEY FC WOMEN |
| Brady 63′, 90′ | Smith 67′, 90+4′ Gallienne 70′ |
Ruby Smith pounced deep into injury time to give Guernsey FC Women a late win at Bemerton Heath Harlequins in a frantic finish.
Anna Gauvain’s side had already come from behind and it looked like the Green Lionesses had blown their big chance for three points as they let Imogen Brady in for a 90th-minute equaliser.
But Smith’s second of the game earned Guernsey back-to-back wins for the first time at this level and sealed her first brace for the club in what was an all-action second half.
The Greens had the best of the first period but were unable to make their openings count. Smith had the best chance as she was played in by Eleanor Jamieson but Rachel Atkins came out to make a smart block.
Smith also hit the post, as did Donna Gallienne when she caught Adkins by surprise from range but saw her effort bounce off the foot of the upright. Scarlett Kenneally also had a couple of wayward efforts.
Codie Le Flem made an impact off the bench and her shot from outside the box narrowly evaded the top corner after she was picked out by Candice Bougourd in the first meaningful action of the second half.
The hosts came into the game more after the break and missed a gilt-edged chance to take the lead when Alana Hockey presented the ball to Brady with the whole goal to aim at, but she somehow screwed it wide. Hockey then atoned for her error by coming out quickly to narrow the angle and force an attacker to shoot wide.
The Lionesses paid for not making the most of their first half chances when Harelquins took the lead midway through the half. The visiting defence missed two chances to clear, allowing Brady to run onto the loose ball and fire past Hockey.
But the Greens reacted well and hit back straight away with a lovely goal. Smith knocked the ball into space down the right for Kenneally to race onto, then continued her run into the box to meet the return ball, an inch perfect cross that she leapt to head in from six yards.
Soon after, Guernsey turned it around. Gallienne collected a square pass from Bougourd and tried her luck again from range. The ball skidded on the slick surface just in front of Atkins, who let is squirm under her body and over the line for Gallienne’s first goal of the season.
It looked like they were holding out relatively comfortably, but then Bemerton Heath were gifted a late equaliser that appear to snatch a big three points away from the Sarnians. It came from another missed clearance as the hosts went on the counter attack and Brady was able to run clear and send a low shot across Hockey into the opposite corner.
But there was to be another twist in the tale. Deep into injury time, Harlequins captain Caitlin Griffiths-Lower underhit a back pass towards her keeper. Smith seized onto it and after the ball bounced up, she lifted it over Atkins and it dropped into the corner to snatch all three points.
There was one more nervy moment as a handball gave the home side a free-kick right on the edge of the box, but Hockey held well in what was the last kick of the game and the points were Guernsey’s
The Green Lionesses leapfrog their opponents and move up to sixth in the Southern Region Women’s Division One South. Sunday’s other results were as follows: AFC Varsity 1-3 Andover New Street, Farnham Town 3-1 Bournemouth Sports Reserves, Shaftesbury 0-5 Havant & Waterlooville, Wimborne Town 0-0 AFC Stoneham.
BEMERTON HEATH HARLEQUINS: 1 Rachel ATKINS; 4 Caitlin GRIFFITHS-LOWER (c); 5 Nikki FRIER; 7 Ellie HAYWARD; 8 Ellen CLARKE; 9 Imogen BRADY; 10 Hollie KEATING; 12 Paige BRAZIER; 17 Deyna DAVIE; 18 Kyra WARD; 20 Leanne HARVEY. Subs (rolling): 13 Shauna HOWE; 15 Sophie TAYLOR.
GUERNSEY: 21 Emma QUERIPEL; 2 Scarlett KENNEALLY; 3 Eleanor JAMIESON; 4 Aimee OGIER; 5 Jess FRAMPTON; 6 Mollie WATSON; 7 Scarlett GALLAGHER; 8 Candice BOUGOURD (c); 9 Ruby SMITH; 10 Donna GALLIENNE; 11 Heidi DAWBER. Subs (rolling): 12 Eryn JAMES; 17 Codie LE FLEM; 27 Alana HOCKEY.
