Brilliant Gauvain goal not enough as GFC are beaten

The Metropolitan Police came from behind to beat the Green Lions 2-1 and stay above them in the table, as the visitors were left to rue missed chances as well as one particular decision that went against them.

‘There was a real disappointment in the group after the game because the points were there for us to take,’ said Steve Sharman, who took charge of GFC with Tony Vance away.

‘I think two things ultimately cost us – we left three goals out there, and if we score four we win the game, and I do not think we were mentally strong enough to recover from their first goal and the way it came about with the free-kick decision.’

Met Police looked the more dangerous of the two sides during the opening exchanges, but GFC quickly settled and began to dominate possession.

The home team went close to scoring midway through the first period, though, as Mason Galloway forced GFC keeper Josh Addison into a smart low stop from his right-footed effort from the edge of the box.

Guernsey began to push towards the end of the first 45 and they eventually got their reward thanks to a super effort from Gauvain.

The winger picked up the ball on the edge of the area and managed to make his way beyond three defenders in quick succession before firing into the bottom corner to nudge his side ahead.

Ross Allen had a chance to double GFC’s lead moments before the whistle, but his one-on-one shot was saved by Liam Beach.

Met Police looked more confident following the half-time break and began limiting Guernsey’s tidy spells of possession, but clear cut opportunities remained few and far between.

The home team were then awarded a free-kick just outside the box, much to the annoyance of the GFC players who were adamant the decision should have gone the other way, and it proved to be the major turning point of the afternoon with Galloway stepping up and nestling his effort into the top left corner.

The game appeared to be settled at 1-1 with neither team threatening the other in front of goal, but it was Met Police who would have the last laugh on the day thanks to a goal straight from a corner.

Benjamin Mendoza, who alternated the foot he used to take each corner depending on what side it was, curled in an in-swinger on his weaker left foot and managed to find the far corner without a touch from any other player on the way in.

GFC could not respond from the blow, and their first ever visit to Imber Court ended in a loss, meaning they drop a place in the Isthmian South Central table after Northwood won to go above them on goal difference.

‘We started off the game flat, which was a consequence of not playing in a few weeks, but after that we had some really nice patterns of play – we recycled possession well, we had moves where they could not touch us and it was working really well,’ said Sharman.

‘Ultimately we let that free-kick decision get to us and never really came back from that.

‘The group is very honest and I think a lot of the players will admit they were maybe at five or six out of 10, when we’ve seen them be at eights and nines in the last few games.

‘Ben Solway definitely deserves a mention, though, he played really well in that left centre-back position on Saturday and we’re really pleased with how he’s doing with us.

‘Confidence in the group is still good, the players are really together and we’re going into every game believing we can get something out of it.

‘We’re still top 10 in the form guide, which I think is a true reflection of how we’re doing, and we know that we can finish this season on a high with 13 games left to play now.’