Russell backs GFC to beat the drop

The combination of an 84th minute winner by sub Archie Johnson and Greenwich Borough’s 4-1 home win over Faversham Town took Guernsey FC into the bottom three ahead of a key home game against fellow strugglers Horne Bay at ‘The Lane’ on Wednesday night.

The victorious Cray manager, though, says Guernsey have enough about them to stay in the division.

‘We know how tough it is today, this journey, but you guys do it every other week and I have always said huge credit to them. The commitment to do that is ridiculous and shows how much it means to come over and play.

‘We wish them all the best and I’m sure they will stay up.’

Russell saw his team held to a goalless first half, take the lead just after the break and be pegged back by a well worked goal finished off by Will Fazakerley. ‘It was a really tough game, always a hard place to come,’ Russell said.

‘We had a pig of a journey and had a lot of delays and had to be up at 6.30, but that’s no excuse and although we did just enough to win it at the end, they certainly pushed us.

‘They were a real threat on the break and looked dangerous on the counter attack.

‘They scored a great goal, a really good move.’

Steve Sharman, joint acting boss in Tony Vance’s continued absence, said he was proud of his side.

‘In the end it was a case of tired minds, tired legs against top of the table,’ he said in reference to the late defensive lapse that led to the winner.

• Match report in Monday's Guernsey Press.