Guernsey Press

McGrath-Hutton treble act

Guernsey FC 8, Hartley Wintney 1 AS THE season-defining weekend for Guernsey FC began, many thought this would be their toughest test of the lot with Hartley Wintney desperately needing points for entirely different reasons.

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Guernsey FC 8, Hartley Wintney 1

AS THE season-defining weekend for Guernsey FC began, many thought this would be their toughest test of the lot with Hartley Wintney desperately needing points for entirely different reasons.

One draw was and indeed still is enough to keep the 'Row' in the CCL Premier Division next season, but the side who had somehow thrashed eventual champions Egham Town 6-1 a week earlier, never looked like getting that vital point here.

From the moment that Matt Loaring gave the Green Lions the lead within the first minute of Saturday afternoon's start on the first attack, it was the promotion-chasing side that looked ominously good.

The hosts were able to celebrate two players scoring hat-tricks - the brilliant attacking pairing of Nigel Hutton and Marc McGrath - as they ensured that Ross Allen's 58th minute introduction came with his side already six to the good.

As bad as Hartley were, it was as good a GFC display as in some time - certainly on the goal-scoring front - as there were a couple of crackers thrown into the mix, four being scored either side of half-time.

Loaring set the ball rolling when he rounded off a fine move involving McGrath and Hutton, picking up the latter's lovely through ball to slide under the body of visiting keeper Craig Atkinson, who had also shipped four against GFC earlier in the season.

The same man tested Atkinson again with a weak effort soon after, while Glyn Dyer did likewise, before McGrath kept his own rich vein of form going on 17min., proving yet again his importance to the GFC cause in these final few weeks.

Angus Mackay pumped a ball skywards and when it landed in the penalty area, Hartley centre-back Shane Hollomby foolishly let it bounce and there was McGrath ready to pounce, looping his header over Atkinson into the back of the net.

It was the St Martin's man's fourth goal in three games, although this treble that took him to six in three would not quite prove to be as important as his previous match-winning strikes.

Another man who has really stepped up to the plate this season is Hutton and the youngster made it 3-0 after 29min., his stunning goal unquestionably the best of the afternoon's bunch.

He picked the ball up inside his own half down the left and ran forward, beating a couple of defenders before unleashing a wonder 30-yard screamer that dipped and swerved past Atkinson before finding the bottom corner.

That all but put GFC three points closer to promotion and McGrath made sure before half-time, making a well-timed run to bundle home Tom Strawbridge's deflected cross from close range, getting there just before Atkinson.

Loaring nearly got another before the break, a long-range effort hitting the crossbar, but the scoreline still allowed Mackay to have a rest, Matt Drillot entering the fray at half-time and he was soon on the scoresheet.

Dyer's surging run and through ball found Drillot, who coolly rounded Atkinson and slid home from an angle for his first GFC goal.

Within seconds of the restart it was six as McGrath completed his hat-trick, magnificently rifling home an unstoppable half-volley into the top corner from 15 yards out, after Simon Geall had picked him out with a low cross.

That was McGrath's cue to receive a well-earned rest, allowing Allen to enter the fray, while Dom Heaume also departed moments later, replaced by Jacques Isabelle, as Tony Vance wisely rotated his options.

Some slack defending did allow Hartley a consolation on 71min., as Hollamby made some sort of amends for his earlier mistake with a powerful low effort that found the bottom corner, despite Chris Tardif's strong hand in the GFC goal.

But that made no difference to the flow of the contest and within seconds it was 7-1 GFC as Hutton burst through down the left-hand side to pick up a pass before steadying himself and sliding past Atkinson for his second.

He was not finished there as he completed his hat-trick in some style on 76min. with a second beauty that went a long way to winning him the man-of-the-match award.

Strawbridge's ball forward was excellent and Hutton timed his run well down the right, before calmly lifting it over the advancing Atkinson first-time from some 25 yards out to round off a fabulous afternoon for the Lions.

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