LISTEN: ‘Dad must take some credit’ says Allen after wonder goal
ROSS ALLEN has credited two people with the assist for his wonder goal that rescued a crucial point for Guernsey FC on Saturday in their fight for Isthmian South Central survival.
Trailing 2-1 to Chipstead at Footes Lane heading into injury time, Charlton Gauvain managed to get the ball to Allen at a corner and, following an exquisite first touch with his right foot to tee himself up for a left-footed volley in the same movement, the club’s record-scorer almost burst the net with a venomous finish.
‘Charlton did so well to give me any chance of getting the ball when that corner came to the far post. Once I had taken that first touch and it sat up, I had to whip that leg through quickly… it’s a big [goal], a really important one, and one I’ll remember for quite a while,’ said Allen, who also revealed that the position he had taken up beyond the far post at the set-piece was not just down to his natural instinct.
‘I’m going to give Dad [Craig] the assist on this one... Dad’s talked about the amount of corners that are over-hit and end up at that back-corner junction of the 18-yard box.
'I started around the back and then as it was flicked up and came to Charlton, I just drifted more around to that sort of point, knowing if it came loose I’d be able to then attack the ball. It came into that area and the rest is history.’
However, Allen, speaking on the latest Guernsey Press Football Podcast, in which he also discusses his role as Guernsey under-16 coach ahead of this weekend’s
Nigel Gavey Memorial Trophy age-group inter-insular in Jersey, admitted that despite the grandstand finish, GFC were ‘a little bit disappointed’ to only take a point from the game.
‘It leaves things still finely poised, very tense – it’s in our own hands of course,’ he said.
‘Luckily, for the first time this season, we have a full squad and competition for places. You looked on Saturday and the players coming off the bench really made a difference, really helped inject some energy, so we know we can go for 90 minutes and compete against these teams.
‘We’ve just got to keep working hard and do the job. Probably another six points or so, another couple of wins will probably do it.’
