Guernsey left hanging on

Guernsey 2, Worthing 1

GUERNSEY scraped into the third round of the HA Trophy after an unconvincing and at times plain awful second-half display at Foote's Lane. Even the victors dismissed their performance after the break as the worst effort of recent times.

'In the second half we just did not play; it was not good-looking hockey,' said manager Andy Graham.

That was some understatement.

'Adrian Gidney had a stormer in goal; he played very, very well, and we needed him to,' added Graham.

The greens burst into the lead within a minute, doubled their advantage five minutes before the break and could have been leading by four or five as Worthing struggled to string two passes together.

Their plane had been delayed and as soon as they did touch down they were rushed to the ground where they had just half-an-hour to change, warm up and prepare mentally. It was far from the best preparation for the yellows and it showed in a lacklustre first 35min.

But after the break they had by far the greater share of possession and territorial advantage. They forced a succession of short corners though surprisingly failed to convert any.

One goal was pulled back by Brian Lock, the solid-looking provider of most of his side's dangerous moments, but Worthing's frustration boiled over and two late yellow cards took the sting out of their attack. That allowed the Investec-sponsored home side a degree of breathing space and with a degree of luck they held out to the final whistle.

It was not pretty stuff from either side. Some of Guernsey's defensive play bordered on the suicidal, while Lock was lucky that neither umpire heard what he said while spending five minutes off the pitch for backchat - he could have found his yellow easily upgraded to a red.

The umpires, Jeff Fisher and Stuart Perfitt, were the subject of numerous complaints from the visitors, though they blew next to nothing wrong all match. Most of Worthing's frustration was self-provoked: a profligacy in front of goal which saw at least six clear chances wasted.

Guernsey certainly looked the sharper from the push-back. From the first attack, Nic Chambers drove down the right wing past his startled marker and when his cross was half stopped, Babbe pounced to hammer the loose ball home past the helpless Daniel Godsmark.

The Sarnians kept up the pressure, the younger Chambers brother denied by a sharp stop with a foot, TJ Ozanne's reverse-stick effort was parried away and then his drag-flick fizzed just the wrong side of the post.

From Guernsey's fourth short corner, Lee Martin made a stunning block, the first piece of brilliance from Worthing's best defender on the day. Rarely was he beaten or caught out of position.

At the other end, Guernsey's Tristan Cairns was equally impressive.

As the half progressed, Worthing's front three were increasingly isolated, their back line increasingly busy. Ozanne again went closest with a reverse-side flick before Worthing spurned their best chances of the half.

Given possession in midfield, Worthing broke down the left. Cairns suddenly found himself facing three opponents, did well to hold them up, and then Gidney produced a fine low stop with his left palm.

He had previously dealt well with anything that needed kicking clear, his solid play inspiring confidence among Guernsey's many supporters packed onto the clubhouse balcony.

On the half-hour, Ramiz was inches away from latching onto a right-wing cross and levelling the score, but from that 16-yard hit, Guernsey broke upfield, Ozanne sent a huge aerial down the right channel, Nic Chambers drew the keeper and Andy Bell turned in the inviting cross. Excellent, simple hockey, clinically executed.

And that's just about where Guernsey stopped playing.

Within five minutes of the re-start, Worthing had won and wasted three short corners, Guernsey had given away two 16-yard hits straight to an opponent and Gidney had rescued his side with three smart stops.

Lock was suddenly running the game. His direct running was greeted by half-hearted Guernsey challenges or fouls. The short-corner count shot up. By the mid-point of the half, it was already eight.

Worthing deserved a goal for their persistence and it came from more Guernsey slackness. A free hit on halfway was put straight to a yellow shirt - Lock broke clear and while Gidney stopped the first effort, the Worthing man flicked the rebound inside the near post.

Guernsey kept the ball away from goal for the last few minutes, and put themselves into the next round.