| AFC STONEHAM | 3 | – | 1 | GUERNSEY FC WOMEN |
| Petrache 32′ Gritt 66′ Newton 77′ | Smith 15′ |
Ruby Smith’s fourth goal in four games wasn’t enough as Guernsey FC Women were beaten at AFC Stoneham on Sunday afternoon.
The Green Lionesses looked promising early on as they went in front but after the first half hour or so, it wasn’t really that day as they struggled to break through and create chances as the hosts overturned the deficit and turned the screw in the second half.
There were a couple of scares early on as Scarlett Denton lobbed Alana Hockey from a tight angle but the ball landed on the roof of the net, then Praise Petrache poked wide having slipped in between the centre-backs.
Guernsey took the lead on the quarter hour, as a routine clearance saw the in-form Smith run in behind the home defence high up the pitch. She had the whole half to bear down on goal and, after forcing her way past Emma Stait in goal, tapped home from close range.
This prompted a boost in confidence from Anna Gauvain’s side and they could have doubled the lead. Heidi Dawber teed up captain Candice Bougourd to have a go from range but her shit was straight at Stait. Smith was then presented another good chance as she blocked a poor clearance but her shot lacked power and Stait was able to recover.
Hockey dealt well with two Stoneham shots from outside the box, the first hit with particular venom, then the Sarnian stopper was out quickly to smother a shot as Petrache got in behind.
Donna Gallienne’s free-kick drew a save from Stait to her right, and Stoneham levelled just after the half hour as a pass into the edge of the box found Megan Newton. A combination of Hockey and her defence did well to snuff out the initial effort but the rebound fell kindly for Petrache to tap into an empty net.
The hosts increased the pressure after the break. Emma Simpson was unable to take advantage of Guernsey’s failure to clear a cross but poked wide at the far post. Newton also fired wide after cutting in onto her right foot.
The Greens couldn’t do much about Stoneham’s second midway through the second half as Aimee Gritt took aim from range with an effort that was just too high for Hockey on its way in.
Scarlett Darnton shot low and wide across goal, then Hockey fields at her near post from Emma Simpson as the pressure maintained
Pyrena Heath could only find the side netting when shooting on the turn, but it was soon 3-1 as Newton blocked a clearance and took advantage of a slip in the Guernsey backline to drive an effort into the corner and seal the points.
Hockey made a good block at her near post from Denton and there was a late rally from the Lionesses as Codie Le Flem drove down the right but her cross-cum-shot was gathered by stait before Dawber could meet it at the far post. Gallienne also ran onto a loose ball on the edge of the box but her shot hit a defender retreating towards her goal.
The result leaves Guernsey in eighth place in the Southern Region Women’s Division One South. Sunday’s other results were as follows: AFC Varsity 1-6 Bournemouth Sports Reserves, Bemerton Heath Harlequins 0-6 Farnham Town, Havant & Waterlooville 1-1 Andover New Street, Shaftesbury 0-7 Wimborne Town.
1 Emma STAIT; 6 Aimee GRITT; 8 Abbie AWDAS (c); 10 Scarlett DARNTON; 11 Emma SIMPSON; 12 Izzy SULLIVAN; 14 Mia FLOOD; 16 Summer GOOCH; 17 Abby CHOW; 19 Praise PETRACHE; 20 Megan NEWTON. Sub (rolling): 18 Pyrena HEATH.
GUERNSEY: 27 Alana HOCKEY; 2 Kellie CREED; 3 Mollie WATSON; 4 Aimee OGIER; 5 Steph BATISTE; 6 Scarlett KENNEALLY; 7 Scarlett GALLAGHER; 8 Candice BOUGOURD (c); 9 Ruby SMITH; 10 Donna GALLIENNE; 11 Heidi DAWBER. Subs used (rolling): 18 Codie LE FLEM; 14 Eleanor JAMIESON; 20 Kirstie MARQUIS.
