Stars aligned for an early Xmas gift
ANKLE knocks to both Kyle Smith and Charlton Gauvain failed to wipe the smile off Tony Vance’s face after the destruction of Staines Town.
‘It could have been 14 and that would have been embarrassing, but a realistic scoreline,’ said the GFC boss having seen his men make their stay at the foot of the Isthmian South-Central table as about as brief as it gets.
The 6-2 win instantly lifted them back above a poor Staines and also Chalfont St Peter, who had won for only the third time the previous afternoon.
GFC are now within three points of 14th-place Chipstead with four matches in hand.
‘It was important we put them to bed,’ said Vance.
‘Everything was right in terms of attitude, fitness and style of play. We now need to do that against a good side.’
Vance acknowledged that Staines were very poor and, like most people present, wondered how they could have won at Chipstead with the same team a week earlier and only gone down by a single goal the week before to second-placed Basingstoke Town.
‘Everything came together,’ was his main thought.
‘We had a good squad out, motivationally we were good and the opposition were not strong.
‘We need now to put that performance in against Binfield this week, who are eighth.’
Other than the injuries to Smith and Gauvain, which are concerning but not thought to be too serious, Vance’s only rightful moan was particularly the concession of a goal just before half-time.
‘Both goals conceded were really disappointing and the first one got everyone annoyed at half time.
‘It was so soft, weak, and those are things we have to stamp out.’
As for the injuries, Vance reported that Gauvain rolled his good ankle on this occasion and not the one which has been causing him issues for quite a while.
‘Hopefully he will be alright for the weekend.’
