Strong Oxted side end Guernsey’s hopes

The Island side were in action for the first time in around two years as they returned to the national knockout and put up an excellent fight, with coach Andy Good describing it as a ‘fantastic performance’ against high-class opposition, before going down 3-1.

‘It was a really high-quality game,’ said Good.

‘It was the same old story for us in that we were playing a National League club and they had some players who have played “Prem” this year and four guys who played in the EH Tier One Cup last year, which they won, and all their goals were scored by those players.

‘They were a very strong side, but we competed really well and we could have won the game.’

Guernsey got off to a flying start, taking the lead at an early short-corner where Alex Bushell knocked in the rebound after Matt Stokes’ drag flick had been saved by the Oxted keeper.

The visitors then had chances to double their lead, but crucially they were unable to take them.

The home side grew into the game then piled pressure on the Guernsey goal in the last five minutes of the half, but were thwarted by some outstanding saves from Morgan Clayton.

However, just when it seemed that Guernsey had weathered the storm, Oxted equalised right on the stroke of half-time.

‘At half-time we said that if we could keep a clean sheet and keep our discipline in the second half, then we could go on and win the game,’ Good said.

The controversial award of a penalty-corner after the turnaround gave Guernsey a mountain to climb, though.

‘We were not happy that the short-corner was given because the ball hit Will Dawe on the hand,’ said the Guernsey coach.

‘There was a lengthy stoppage while they [the umpires] talked about it, eventually the decision was upheld and, of course, after all that Oxted scored from it and went 2-1 up.’

The greens were then chasing the game, but they created chances with the home keeper making a really good save to deny Stokes while Andy Whalley and Josh Kendal went close too.

A late yellow card for Adie Peacegood made life tougher for Guernsey, though, and they conceded a third goal that was harsh on the visitors.

‘The story of the game was that we did not take our chances and we were undone by a couple of crucial calls,’ Good said.

‘We played really well, we are not a million miles away from that level and it came down to fine margins I would say.

‘I think the structure of the game at the highest level is different to how we play here. They have a better structure – we tend to rush forward a little bit and we do not value possession as much as they do. We try to go forward as quickly as we can and often turn the ball over then we are defending again.

‘But we have high-quality players, so we can do it. We just needed a bit more possession like they had.

‘It was not rustiness, it’s just understanding the kind of possession that’s required and crucial moments went against us.’

Guernsey now have an inter-insular to look forward to when they host Jersey on Saturday 20 November, with that match starting at noon after the women’s match at 10.30am.

The men’s squad will be largely the same as that which travelled to Oxted, although some players who were unavailable for that trip, such as Zak Damarell and Steve Waldrom, will come back into consideration.