Guernsey FC U23s were clinically beaten at now league leaders Eastbourne United on Thursday night but will have learned some valuable lessons.
The hosts boasted their first team star forward Charlie Ball – he has scored 30 goals at senior level since signing last season – as well as a couple of others who have made a lot of appearances for the first team this season, against a side. Four of their squad have played a at east 15 games for at senior level this season. Four of the goals in this games were scored by those players.
By contrast, Leon Meakin’s side had only two players who have experienced first-team football for GFC and one of them is Alfie Torode, just 17 and having only made four senior appearances of the bench.
So the only real experience was the 180-capped Angus Mackay, and to make matters worse for GFC, they lost him to injury inside five minutes, around the time the hosts took the lead. It was 3-0 by the 25th minute but Aston Young pulled one back before half-time, recovering from a heavy first touch to finish at the near post after being picked out by Jake Martin.
It was 4-1 at half-time and Eastbourne added three more in the second half. To their credit, Guernsey kept battling and tried to play their football, with Martin coming close with a shot that cannoned off the post. They will learn a lot from this experience against one of the favourites to win the Southern Combination U23 East Division.
The U23s’ next game is on Friday 27th November when Saltdean United come to Victoria Park.
GUERNSEY: 1 Regan PENNEY; 2 Tom SOLWAY; 3 Oskar CLEAL; 4 Sam COOLEY; 5 Jake MARTIN; 6 Angus MACKAY (c); 7 Charlie ROBILLIARD; 8 Elden ROBERTS; 9 Alfie TORODE; 10 Aston YOUNG; 11 Pearce LE POIDEVIN. Subs (rolling): Eti VANCE; Archie LE HURAY.
