Although the Green Lions secured a Southern Combination Premier Division play-off place with their 8-1 win over Forest Row on Easter Monday, Tony Vance has emphasised that his side need to keep picking up points to ensure home advantage in those play-offs.
However, with Dave Merris’ Island representative squad taking priority as they start the defence of the Muratti Vase in Alderney, the GFC manager has had to turned to youth in Riley Tyrrell, Dylan Graham and Alfie Torode to fill in the gaps in his team.
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Vance has also named his son Seb in the squad while admitting that he is short of fitness following his long-term injury, but needs must this weekend.
‘I literally say to Mez, “who do you want?”, he says who he wants and we go from there,’ said Vance of the selection process this week.
‘There has been a little bit of swapping going on – specifically where I said “I could do with another defender” – but hopefully they have got enough to get over the line in Alderney.
‘The dream scenario is obviously two wins, but the number one objective is the Muratti. That has always been my prerogative when it comes to semi-final time.
‘It does mean we have got a lot of youngsters coming in and I’m not going to lie, we are at the bare bones, but I think we have got more than enough to compete at Wick.
‘All of these young players have been involved with the development squad and are training with us regularly, too, so you could argue that they have earned this opportunity and that’s what is good about this occasion – it has given an opportunity for these lads to experience what I call the real business of GFC, which is not playing in the terrific surroundings of Victoria Park in front of a big crowd but going away and playing on tough pitches in front of only a handful of people while still needing a result.’
The big positive from Vance’s perspective is that he will have 30-goal striker Sam Murray and talisman Ross Allen at his disposal.
‘We are defensively short for sure, but luckily we have got firepower and what we want to do is win this game and that’s our priority. We then have another tough trip on Tuesday to Midhurst & Easebourne.’
Wick are 15th in the table, but their form has improved in the spring and they are coming off a 3-1 away win at Lancing.
Guernsey FC squad
Jordan Kelly, Gil Hunter, Tom Vaudin, Thomas Dodds, Brandon Wallace, Simon Arnold, Matt Loaring, Sam Murray, Ross Allen, Fin Patterson, Seb Vance, Riley Tyrrell, Dylan Graham, Alfie Torode.
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