Lions Pilot their way through a testing battle

IT IS a ground that already held fond memories for Guernsey FC, but the Pilot Field will now hold an even bigger pride of place in the Green Lions' memories after a fantastic Ryman South victory on Saturday.

For a while now, their away form has been stuttering and their home performances at Footes Lane keeping their promotion hopes alive, but here, they showed they are still a force on the road and did so in some style, too.

Football is, at its most fundamental, a results business and in that regard this will surely have to go down as one of the finest, if not the very best, result that GFC have ever produced against a side widely tipped by many at the start of the campaign to be crowned champions.

It gives their push for a play-off spot even greater impetus and among some of the excellent goals scored on a glorious afternoon, the strength of the defensive display was possibly the most pleasing aspect for Tony Vance.

With their injury crisis at the back well publicised, another new-look back four shone and performed superbly, led by the faultless centre-back pairing of Jamie Dodd and Angus Mackay, while Chris Tardif was brilliant between the sticks.

Considering this was Mackay's first appearance in seven weeks due to injury, his performance level was again astounding and not for the first time, his partnership with Dodd looks more than promising.

The latter certainly had to be alert early on and was on his game throughout, as despite GFC undoubtedly deserving the three points, they had to withstand some long spells of pressure and pounce with devastating effect on the counter-attack.

Tom Vickers' ambitious but fierce long-range drive was the first chance either side had to break the deadlock after a lively and open start, with 12 minutes gone, but Tardif's excellent acrobatic fingertip save turned it behind.

Moments later, Kenny Pogue had a glorious chance to beat Tardif from much closer range after Bailo Camara got a cross in from the right and picked him out, but his volley from 10 yards came back off the post after beating the visiting No. 1.

The action was breathless in these early exchanges and Hastings keeper Josh Pelling bettered Tardif's save with an astonishing block from close range, after Matt Loaring's shot was goal-bound after a pull back from the right.

Dave Rihoy also fizzed a low cross wide of the far post after another breakaway as the territory stats continued to belong to Hastings.

But, crucially, Hastings were not carving out any more openings and a solid GFC got their reward for a decent opening when, after 24min., they broke the deadlock after completely outnumbering their opponents.

Rihoy led the breakaway and after beating one man on the halfway line, had the enviable position of being one of four GFC players against one retreating defender.

Matt Loaring, Dom Heaume and Ross Allen were all there in support but it was Loaring on the right that Rihoy slid the ball through to and after keeping his composure, Loaring made no mistake by sliding home past the generally excellent Pelling to make it 1-0.

The game settled down after its frenetic start, with the attacking threat being nullified at both ends.

But when the next chance came, it inevitably led to a goal after superb work by the irrepressible Allen.

GFC's star man enjoyed another cracking individual afternoon and after turning his marker inside out, his cross fired across goal from the byline demanded to be turned in from all of a yard out.

Heaume duly obliged to put GFC in control.

That two-goal cushion comfortably lasted to half-time and beyond, as the chances became far more sporadic after the restart.

In truth, Hastings only once looked capable of finding the goal that would have given them a way back into the contest.

Vickers, already on a yellow card, was fortunate to stay on the pitch after bringing down the excellent Kieran Mahon, but was substituted off moments later, his final contribution being setting up a glorious chance for Kenny Pogue.

The home striker was only a few yards out, but miscued horribly wide of Tardif's far post.

Ultimately that, as well as Frankie Sawyer's header over the bar, were as close as they came and Tardif only had one more meaningful save to make, smartly turning away Sam Adams' low free-kick.

Moments after that particular stop came the game-sealing third goal.

And it was the majesty of Allen that provided it, as he got the strike that his efforts warranted and in some style, too.

When he got the ball some 40 yards from goal, he had space in which to run, but really no right to do what he did, which was to effortlessly waltz past three defenders, leaving Ben Judge on his backside to go one-on-one with Pelling.

Allen rounded him, too, to tap into the vacant net for a wonderful individual goal and with the game now safe, he wasn't done yet and grabbed another assist that allowed Marc McGrath to get in on the scoring act in stoppage time.

He had already squandered a great chance moments earlier when he lifted over the crossbar, but had the simplest job of tapping home from a couple of yards after Allen's effort was well smothered by Pelling.

It had again been the build-up that was great to watch, though, as Allen left both Josh Jirbandey and Judge for dead in his surge from the halfway line to create the chance seemingly out of nothing.

What a way it was to round off his side's perfect afternoon.

It was a result that must rank as one of this great Sarnian side's defining results and at the same time send out a serious message of intent to their promotion rivals.

TEAMS

Hastings United: Pelling, Henson, Jirbandey, Judge, Cruttwell, Camara (McCreadie 67), Dolan (O'Connor 69), Adams, Vickers (Ellis 58), Sawyer, Pogue.

Guernsey FC: Tardif, Hutton (Geall 86), Mackay, Dodd, Dyer, Mahon, Black (Jordan 67), Loaring, Heaume, Rihoy (McGrath 69), Allen.