The visitors managed a late late equaliser to take the game to penalties, which they won 8-7 to claim the new Illum Davis Foundation Trophy, being contested for the first time.
Josh Addison both saved and scored penalties during the shootout, with Will Fazakerley, Simon Arnold, Alfie Torode, Jacques Cauvin, Corey Brouard and George Goubert also converting. Tyrese Kelly dragged his penalty wide, while Ben Solway’s bounced down off the crossbar with teammates and supporters all convinced it went over the line, but the referee disagreed, sending the trophy to Warwickshire for the next 12 months.
Regulation time ended 2-2 after the Brakes drew level in the sixth minute of added time.
After a few decent chances for Leamington early on, Guernsey took the lead against the Step Three side 15 minutes in, as Fin Patterson’s cross from the right wing was met by Callum Le Lacheur at the back post and he volleyed home from close range.
The Guernsey goalscorer proved to be persistent trouble for the Brakes as his curling shot from distance forced goalkeeper Cian Tyler into a good save minutes later.
In the 22nd minute Le Lacheur was back in the box battling for the ball against Leamington’s Nathan Kabeya before cutting back to Charlton Gauvain who blazed it over the crossbar.
The visitors started coming back into the game as half-time approached, with Kyle Finn forcing Addison into a great stop in the 34th minute.
Early in the second half the Brakes should have drawn level as Dennis Halliday collided with Addison as he attempted to clear the danger, but as the ball was lofted towards the goal Brouard was there to prevent the equaliser with an excellent scissor kick goal-line clearance. A goal on the follow up looked inevitable but the striker blazed over from close range.
Man-of-the-match Gauvain doubled Guernsey’s lead in the 56th minute after working his way through Leamington’s midfield and firing from distance past Tyler who had no chance at keeping out the Green Lions’ captain’s powerful strike.
In the 72nd minute Raj Pallit set up Finn to slot home from close range giving the travelling fans something to cheer about.
With stoppage time nearly over, Pallit scored one of his own, his free-kick finding the back of the net and pushing the game to penalties.
‘It was a great game. It’s fantastic that they’ve come over here and put the commitment in – I think they’ve had a great trip, a couple of days over here and seen the sunshine and they’ve been fantastic to be honest,’ said Guernsey FC manager Tony Vance at full-time.
‘We set up a certain way in the first half and I thought we were great doing that and got our rewards over the 90 minutes.
‘I thought Faz [Will Fazakerley] was brilliant. For me he was our stand-out player but everyone got a good shift in, and even the changes, the guys have gone out there and played against a quality opposition and did well, so it was a good exercise all round.’
Guernsey FC begin the new Southern Combination Premier Division season at home against Pagham this Saturday (1.30pm kick-off).
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