| BEXHILL UNITED | 1 | – | 4 | GUERNSEY |
| Shonk 31′ | | | | Gauvain 1′ Murray 47′; 77′ Fallaize 87′ |
Guernsey made a triumphant return to the FA Vase, easing away from Bexhill United in the second half to progress to the second qualifying round.
Charlton Gauvain shocked the hosts with a goal inside the opening minute but the Green Lions were pegged back on the half hour. But Sam Murray’s second half brace put the Sarnians back in control before Jacob Fallaize added gloss to the scoreline late on.
It was GFC’s first game in the FA Vase since our marvellous run in 2012-13, when we reached the semi-finals. Could this be the start of another tilt towards Wembley?
Fans had barely had time to take up their vantage points when Gauvain caught the Pirates cold with a surprise raid straight from kick-off to put his side in front. Callum Le Lacheur was found on the wing and delivered a cross straight to the feet of Gauvain, who had lost his man by making a clever run. He took one touch and finished low and hard into the bottom corner.
Unfortunately Guernsey’s playmaker-in-chief was forced off early with a shoulder injury, but his replacement Murray was to have an even bigger impact in the second half.
The Sarnians were pegged back on the half hour as Jack Shonk was picked out by a Bexhill free-kick and he finished smartly inside the area.
A strong hand was required from Josh Addison to prevent Bexhill turning the game around shortly before the break and the sides went in level.
Tony Vance’s side started the second half in similar fashion to the first and were back in front within two minutes of the restart. It came from Le Lachuer again – in what was his best performance to far in a green shirt – as his chip over Stef Arkas crashed off the crossbar and bounced on the line, with Murray following in to make sure, stabbing home from close range.
Arkas made a strong save to deny Murray a second on 70 minutes, with a goal-line clearance stopping Fallaize getting the third shortly after.
But the duo would get their rewards as the game went on. Murray’s second on 77 minutes all but secured GFC’s progression to the next round. He capitalised on a poor back pass and forced the keep to commit before rolling home a simple finish for his fourth goal of the season already.
Fallaize added gloss to the scoreline with just minutes remaining, tapping home after Allen’s run at a free-kick distracted Arkas, causing the Bexhill stopper to spill the ball into the centre-back’s path.
Guernsey’s reward for the win is a home tie in the second qualifying round. A reunion with Croydon takes place at Victoria Park on 20th September. Next up for the Green Lions is a trip to early table-proppers Little Common this coming Saturday.
BEXHILL UNITED: 1 Stef ARKAS; 2 Tom O’SHAUHGESSY; 3 Ryan MOIR; 4 Ritchie WELCH; 6 Kyle HOLDEN; 7 Charlie PLAYFORD; 8 Max HOLLOBONE; 9 Jack SHONK; 10 Charlie CURRAN; 11 Theo COOMBS; 17 Dan ROGERS. Subs: 12 Mardy OVENDEN; 14 Jaak STANLEY; 15 Ollie JEFFERYS; 16 Ryley McANDREW; 17 Will SAUNDERS.
GUERNSEY: 1 Josh ADDISON; 5 Tom VAUDIN; 6 Seb VANCE; 7 Charlton GAUVAIN (9 Sam MURRAY, 17′); 10 Ross ALLEN (c) (2 Niall HAINSWORTH, 89′); 11 Brandon WALLACE (23 Frazer MAGINNIS, 82′); 12 Fin DU PORT; 17 Callum LE LACHEUR (16 Zach GILMAN, 86′); 18 Dave MERRIS; 19 Will FAZAKERLEY (14 Simon ARNOLD, 75′); 24 Jacob FALLAIZE.
Attendance: 171.
