Rihoy strikes twice from bench as Lions roar on

Guernsey FC 4, Westfield 2

DAVE RIHOY came off the bench to fire two second half goals which ultimately gave the Green Lions the upper hand and the points at Footes Lane.

And although his first, which put Tony Vance's men 3-0 up and seemingly secured the home side the win, was no more than a lucky grubber through the keeper's hands, Rihoy's second and Guernsey's fourth after Westfield had shocked the home crowd with two goals in quick succession, was an absolute beauty and one worthy of winning any game.

Credit should go to both sides for producing an open and entertaining game on a pitch which is suffering from the duel demands of rugby one week, football the next, plus some unhelpful weather.

Westfield proved to be enterprising visitors to the Lane and they presented the home defence with a pile of problems over the 90 minutes, but ultimately it was the Green Lions who possessed the greater firepower and the ability to carve out the lion's share of the chances.

Although Sam Cochrane, the Guernsey skipper, walked away with the man-of-the-match award, the home defence looked worryingly vulnerable all afternoon, but that was as much down to Westfield's strength in attack and the home side's preference to attack and blow the consequences. GFC want to win with style.

Angus Mackay, who was the Green Lions' top performer at the hub of midfield, did his best to protect the home defence, but if Jersey scouts had been watching they would have noticed the ease with which Westfield often got into the Guernsey box.

That there was a certain lackadaisical approach to defending may have had something to do with the Lions' league position and the fact that they were a goal up as early as the third minute.

Scott Bradford broke into the area from the right and from the byline his ball into the near post was bundled home by Dominic Heaume.

Guernsey were playing some superb stuff and amid some flowing moves big Mike Brawley in the Westfield goal was called on to make a fine stop from the elusive Glyn Dyer.

But Westfield looked capable themselves in attack and it required Simon Geall kicking off the line to preserve their lead before, on 14min., Ross Allen doubled their advantage.

Receiving the ball beyond the far post and 10 yards out, Allen initially had the ball stuck between his feet. But he was afforded enough time to get the ball out of his feet and create the room to get a left-foot shot away and give Brawley no chance.

Heaume should have made it three but Brawley's legs denied him from close range, but the longer the half wore on Westfield became increasingly threatening themselves.

Luke Beale should have done better at the end of one good move and he also shot against Chris Tardif's right-hand post after being fed into a good scoring position by Ricky Hodgsen.

Lee Allum's follow-up chance was saved by Tardif and before the half was out Daryn Hennessy was only inches wide with a 25-yard drive.

But all the time the Lions were carving out chances themselves.

Dyer should have got a third for Guernsey, Heaume fired wide from Dyer's knockdown, and the little man also tugged a first-time shot just wide after good work by Bradford.

The half ended with Mark Tyler hooking the ball away from underneath his own crossbar after Brawley had spilled Bradford's dinked cross into the box.

The pattern of the game largely stayed unchanged in the second period.

Early on, Allen had what looked an almost certain goal blocked on the line but gradually the home side's attacking threat waned and just after the hour Bradford was replaced by Rihoy, who scored with his grubber within three minutes of being on the park.

Beale struck a 20-yarder just too high as Westfield served notice that they were not giving up the ghost, while at the other end Ryan-Zico Black thumped an effort against the bar.

As the game entered its final quarter the points looked safe but then, in the space of three minutes, Westfield netted twice.

The persevering and deserving Beale squeezed home the first from a yard out after good work by McGregor, and then Tom Hegarty hit a screamer from 25 yards out on the left which flew like a dart past Tardif into the far corner and may have made the Grammar School hall had the net not been in the way.

There was obvious alarm in the Garenne Stand to the sudden change in fortunes, but on 77 minutes Heaume worked an opening for Rihoy and the twinkle-toed sub fired his own cracker across Brawley and into the far corner to settle proceedings.

He almost grabbed a third late on but Brawley superbly tipped his effort onto the bar.