A sublime counter-attack goal, worthy of winning any game, gave the Green Lions a thoroughly-deserved 1-0 victory over Southall yesterday at Victoria Park with the three points lifting Tony Vance’s side to 19th in the table and within three points of South Park, who are immediately above them and outside the relegation zone, with three rounds of fixtures remaining.
‘We’ll keep fighting,’ said GFC manager Vance.
‘It’s a tough ask, but after some of the results yesterday, when you look now at the table, I think we’re three points off South Park. So that 97th minute winner from them [against GFC last month] is harsh.
‘But as I said before, it’s probably the 18 points that we’ve lost from winning positions, that might well be the difference, but who knows?
‘We’ve got three tough games, three different types of games. If we can get as many points as we can, you never know.
‘Our return [since that defeat at South Park] is two wins and two draws, so credit to the players, they’re setting the standards.
‘We’re on a decent run, but this result will mean nothing if we don’t go and beat Binfield and that’s always a difficult place to go.’
GFC were the better side for much of the game against Southall, but failed to find a breakthrough in the first half.
The decisive moment came in the 65th minute with a brilliantly-executed slick counter-attack that started with Charlton Gauvain heading away a Southall corner before Matt Loaring picked up the ball and drove forward. He had support arrive in the form of player-of-the-match Jacques Cauvin, who helped the ball onto Sam Murray and he lifted a delightful finish over the onrushing Southall goalkeeper Max Foulkes.
The visitors lost Ryan Hope to a second yellow card just two minutes later and their 10 men were unable to find their way back into the game.
‘It was very good, it was a high standard,’ said Vance of the performance.
‘The players have set a good level there and we had to because Southall are actually a decent side. They shouldn’t be where they are.’
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