In fact, the Green Lions registered their first draw since joining the Southern Combination Premier Division just over a year ago as Jamie Dodd and Will Fazakerley both struck equalisers at the Haven Centre to earn a point on the road and take their tally up to seven from their three outings so far.
‘At the start of the season when everyone is excited and everyone has got a little bit of money to spend, you often see some false realities and then it evens out as the season progresses,’ said GFC manager Tony Vance.
‘From our point of view, it is important we stay unbeaten as long as we can when we are trying to find our feet and who teams are.
‘We know who a couple of the big-hitters are, but there are a few teams here and there who are getting some surprise results at the moment and it will be interesting to see if they maintain it.’
Conditions were anything but a haven in which to play football against Crawley Down Gatwick as the scorched pitch, which was ‘like concrete’ according to Vance, made it difficult to find any rhythm.
The hosts took the lead through Will Harley inside the opening 10 minutes and they maintained that advantage until half-time.
GFC were level shortly after the break as Dodd knocked in the loose ball after Sam Murray had helped on a Charlton Gauvain cross, but the ‘Anvils’ restored their lead almost immediately when substitute Callum Kilkenny scored just after coming on.
The Green Lions earned a share of the spoils in the 82nd minute, though, when Fazakerley applied a composed finish after Dylan Graham’s effort had been blocked.
‘It was horrible,’ said Vance of the nature of the pitch and, with it, the game itself.
‘We were causing our own problems by trying to play football the way we do at Victoria Park. It was a recipe for disaster because we could not do it and in turn that gave chances to the opposition.
‘There are going to be a few pitches like that and we knew this was going to be one of them, but we were still a little bit naive and we have got to adapt better.
‘Being on Victoria Park for training and games we are spoilt and everything is geared to the way we want to play – a certain passing way and running with the ball – but we had to play another way, two touches of the ball, one to control it and one to launch it, because you’re not able to play on the floor, but needs must.
‘They were always a threat because of the pitch and the style it dictated, but having got back to 1-1, to give away such a cheap goal was disappointing and frustrating.
‘After going behind twice, though, it’s a good point all things considered and the players deserve credit for that.’
And once again it was GFC’s veteran at the back who was their stand-out performer.
‘Doddie put in another commanding performance after the one on Saturday as well,’ said Vance.
‘I thought the two lads who came on, Fin Patterson and Dylan Graham, gave us a little bit more impetus, too, and everyone else competed.’
The Green Lions are back on the road on Saturday when they face Roffey.
TEAMS
Crawley Down Gatwick: Bellingham, Duah (Jammal-John), Martin-Coward (Waters), Byrne, Pethpher, Enticknap (Kilkenny), Spence, Laws, Harley, Tidy (Alder), Leslie (Holden).
Guernsey FC: Sheppard, Hainsworth, Dodd, Du Port (Brouard), Gauvain, Murray (Patterson), Le Lacheur (Graham), Merris, Fazakerley, Cauvin, Drillot.
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