Gauvain cracker sees Green Lions extend perfect start

To borrow a phrase from the Bangles, it was a manic Monday night match against AFC Varndeanians in Peacehaven – high on endeavour but generally low on quality due to its fast and furious tempo.

That was until Ross Allen won the ball in the opposition’s half with just over quarter-of-an-hour remaining.

He laid it off to Gauvain, around 30 yards from goal, and he drove into the box before unleashing an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net.

It was a goal worthy of winning any game and one that delighted GFC manager Tony Vance.

‘They were a good team in terms of being quick, sharp and they really wanted to have a game,’ he said of The V’s.

‘There were so many transitions that it was end to end – it was a frantic game – but it needed a bit of quality to get a goal, and Charlton’s was a good goal.

‘Their keeper said afterwards that he did not see it and you could see the ball was past his hands before they were up – it was a ferocious strike.’

It was the second time in the space of a week that the Green Lions had won on the road by the only goal of the game and it came at an almost identical time to Sam Murray’s winner at Seaford Town last Tuesday.

Murray had GFC’s only clear-cut opportunity of the first half as a neat turn in the box gave him space to get off a left-footed shot which was parried away by Jordan Hawkins.

The striker also called the keeper into action in the second half, but chances were at a premium for both sides in a closely fought game.

‘It’s a really good three points for us, a draw would have perhaps been fair,’ Vance said.

‘Incredibly for GFC, we have won three games in a row now, but the more pleasing stat for me is that since our change in emphasis towards the end of last season, we have only lost one game in 12, which is pretty impressive really. And that loss was to Kingstonian, which was probably the best we have played in that period.

‘It is nice to win well, but it is also nice to grind out wins when the circumstances dictate and because this game was so open, once we went ahead we were able to be a bit more robust and structured.

‘We brought Dave Merris on, which really helped with his leadership qualities, and saw the game out.

‘The opposition were really pleased with their performance and I thought they were good, so that’s a strong three points for us.’

Vance also praised the performances of Tom Dodds and Frazer Maginnis, who was making his first start for the Green Lions. There was also a return off the bench for Niall Hainsworth following his long-term injury.

There was also a special mention for the man between the sticks.

‘Seb Sheppard has now kept two clean-sheets in a row and his record for us in terms of wins, draws and clean-sheets is pretty impressive, so he is putting pressure on Josh Addison.’

Guernsey are top of the table on goal difference from Forest Row, who won the only other fixture on Monday night 2-1 against Shoreham to also make it nine points from three games.

‘Beforehand we spoke about the fact that teams in this league are either going to be like that or they will sit and try to hit us on the counter, so we have got to find a way to win each type of game and also not allow the opposition a way to score,’ Vance added.

‘In Step 4 you are focused on the opposition first off, whereas we are looking more at ourselves now and that’s where the emphasis is.’

Focus now turns to the FA Vase for Guernsey FC as they visit Bexhill United in the first qualifying round on Saturday. The reward for the winners will be a home tie against Croydon next month.

Teams

AFC Varndeanians: Hawkins, Benfell, A Bukleb, Rogers, O Bukleb, Barker, Middade, Dench, Durand, Nandhra, Loversidge.

Guernsey FC: Sheppard, Vaudin, Fallaize, Dodds, Maginnis (Merris 76), Vance, Du Port, Wallace (Hainsworth 64), Gauvain, Allen (Patterson 89), Murray (Fazakerley 64).