Lions on the brink

Guernsey FC 2, Epsom & Ewell 0

ANOTHER late show saw Guernsey FC move to within 90 minutes of promotion on another nailbiting Footes Lane afternoon yesterday.

Despite controlling this contest against an Epsom side clearly content with a draw from the outset, the Green Lions created numerous chances without landing the killer blow.

But just as it seemed like it would not be their day just when they needed it most, up popped Marc McGrath yet again with a 77th-minute header to break the deadlock.

Dom Heaume followed suit in the last minute and the job was done, satisfyingly against a side that, despite being fourth in the league, were just looking to waste time even in the early stages.

It was a professional display from the Lions, led by the immense Angus Mackay and impressive Kieran Mahon at the heart of midfield, while Jamie Dodd was superb at centre-back.

From the moment Josh Gallasher squandered a second-minute chance, the visitors didn't look like breaking GFC down, as they could not convert some decent build-up play.

Mahon was denied at point-blank range by visiting keeper Joe White as GFC pressed forward, while the same man made a brilliant acrobatic save to deny Mackay's glancing looped header.

The two midfielders started virtually every GFC attack and pulled the strings throughout, with Mahon's passing and Jacques Isabelle's forays forward from right-back a constant threat.

Dave Rihoy and Ross Allen, two of four genuine forwards in the starting XI, both came close, but it was a largely frustrating first 45 minutes for the hosts and it could have been even worse in the dying seconds.

Dale Marvell's weak shot was spilled by GFC number one Chris Tardif, but, fortunately, he made amends with magnificent reactions to deny Freddie Myers' rebound effort.

Epsom came close again soon after the restart, Freddie Burns' shot deflected inches wide and with GFC now struggling to keep up their attacking momentum, the substitutions started to arrive.

First to be thrown on by Tony Vance was Heaume and he was soon followed by McGrath, as the Lions' boss tinkered as much as he could in search of glory.

Mackay should have made it 1-0 on the hour mark when he steered wide Allen's pull-back from a glorious position.

The Footes Lane crowd had started to get restless and Vance's final roll of the dice was to send on Glyn Dyer in place of Isabelle, but it was Epsom's own replacement, Kyle Hough, who had a great chance.

The man who has already scored three times against GFC was rested from the starting line-up ahead of the Premier Cup final this coming Friday night, but came on and headed straight at Tardif from a corner.

Anywhere else and it could have been curtains for GFC's promotion hopes, but the mood and potentially the outcome of the season changed moments later.

GFC attacked with purpose down the left, but Allen still did excellently to keep the ball in play on the byline and produced a looped cross to the back post.

There waiting was McGrath, who headed into the roof of the net from close range to be GFC's goalscoring saviour for the third time in as many tense home matches.

Dodd still had to be alert to make a brilliant diving block from Ben Hayward at the other end, but that was as good as it got for Epsom in the closing stages.

And their fate was sealed with just seconds remaining of the allotted 90 minutes, Mackay's searching free-kick finding the head of the unmarked Heaume, who emphatically found the net.