GFC finally surrender to Met Police pressure
THEY could see it coming, but Guernsey FC were unable to avoid the sucker punch with which the Metropolitan Police snatched victory from their grasp on Saturday.
‘It’s the English mentality, isn’t it? When we play these sort of teams, they’ll just throw the kitchen sink at you,’ said GFC manager Tony Vance, whose side had been 3-1 ahead at one stage and conceded the equaliser in the 94th minute as the game ended 3-3.
‘I often look at football like boxing. If you’re you’re fighting against someone who’s a heavyweight or a middleweight and he starts jabbing at you, jabbing at you, jabbing at you, and you’re constantly getting one on the chin, you’re going to go backwards, unless you get a knockout punch.’
He added that the physical stature of the opposition always seems to put his side at a disadvantage in those scenarios.
‘You can’t fight that – ultimately we are what we’ve got.
‘But for 60-65 minutes, if you look at our play, it’s absolutely outstanding. So we’ve got to find a way to deal with that part where physical science plays a part of it.’
The Green Lions had responded to Archie Lowery giving the hosts a 17th-minute lead at the Imber Court Sports Club by equalising through Owen Wallbridge’s first goal of the season before Ross Allen put them ahead before half-time from the penalty spot after Jacques Cauvin had been fouled.
Sam Murray extended their advantage shortly after the interval, but just four minutes later the hosts were awarded a penalty of their own which was converted by Mason Galloway.
The Met Police grabbed a point when Kynan Kirlew-Wright scored just a few seconds before the final whistle.
‘I thought we were really good, obviously went 3-1 up, and funnily enough, I said to the guys on the bench, with us we need to score four to win the game – it’s just the way it is, unfortunately,’ Vance said.
‘We were the better footballing team. Unfortunately, at the moment we’re just missing a little bit of luck or whatever and I think when we were on top and really dominating, which was probably for two-thirds of the game in terms of football, that’s the bit I’m really excited about and really positive about because I thought we were good in those circumstances.’
