GFC’s confidence is growing
GUERNSEY FC emerged from the weekend in their highest Isthmian South Central position to date and they have the chance to climb another two places tonight.
An excellent away performance in the 3-0 win at Thatcham Town on Saturday, combined with results elsewhere, saw the Green Lions rise to 15th in the table, close to within a point of their opponents and also Westfield ahead of today’s trip to South Park.
GFC still have at least four games in hand on every team up to and including to eighth-placed Binfield, who are 11 points ahead of them, in a congested mid-table.
On Saturday, under the guidance of Colin Fallaize and Steve Sharman in the absence of Tony Vance, they contained their hosts and achieved just their third clean sheet of the season, helped enormously by a penalty save from Lucas Hanley, while being clinical at the other end.
The home side camped in GFC’s half for the opening quarter of an hour but rarely called Hanley into action.
Having withstood that pressure, the visitors started to build some momentum of their own and took the lead after 20 minutes when, after Charlton Gauvain had drawn a foul out on the right, Kieran Mahon swung over the free-kick and Jacob Fallaize planted a header past Jack Hopwood.
Five minutes before half-time, the Kingfishers had a golden chance to get back on level terms as Tinashe Gwavava went down on the right side of the area under a challenge from Ben Acey.
Harvey Harry spotted the ball but Hanley guessed correctly, diving to his right to push it away.
Ten minutes into the second half, Ross Allen showed how it should be done as he marked his return by converting a spot kick to double the lead after Fallaize, who was up for a Jamie Dodd long throw, had been chopped down in the box.
Substitute Jazz Oreet Wallace skewed well wide from distance as Thatcham sought a response but the Green Lions had a good degree of control by this point.
Will Fazakerley was denied by a block with little over 15 minutes remaining after good work by Gauvain down the right as Guernsey sought a third.
They got it on 84min.
Substitute Seb Skillen burst past his marker towards the right byline and pulled the ball back.
Fellow replacement Matt Loaring’s effort was saved but it dropped kindly for Fazakerley to roll in the rebound from close range with Hopwood stranded.
Coach Sharman was particularly pleased with how GFC adapted to the conditions, grinding out a lead in the first half when playing into a stiff wind and then making the most of having it at their backs in the second half.
‘We are building confidence,’ he said.
‘I said to the guys at the start of the game that what’s really nice is there is confidence in the group, there’s a really nice balance in the group and it’s not a surprise that we’re moving up the league because we’ve got a good group.’
It is another quick turnaround for GFC as they travel to 10th-placed South Park this evening. If they avoid defeat, the Green Lions will rise to 13th.
