Guernsey Press

‘Roll your sleeves up time’

LIFE does not get any easier for the Green Lions as they go from hosting the top side in Isthmian South Central to visiting second-placed Uxbridge today.

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Charlton Gauvain 'should be fine' to play against Uxbridge today according to GFC manager Tony Vance after he was substituted in midweek having been raked down his shin. (Picture by Sophie Rabey, 30145918)

The task has been made harder by the loss of Keanu Marsh and Louis Graham to the injuries picked up in the defeat to leaders Bracknell Town in midweek, while Tom Martin and Robbie Legg are ill, but the positive news is that Charlton Gauvain should be fit to play and while acknowledging that his side will be underdogs this afternoon, Guernsey FC manager Tony Vance quickly added: ‘football is a strange game’.

‘I will never go away and throw in the towel,’ he said.

‘It’s another tough challenge and it is away from home with a weakened group – very rarely do we get to travel at full strength – but sometimes after a game like we had on Wednesday, these are exactly the type of game you want and need because it is proper roll your sleeves up time.

‘We have to work hard for anything and everything and from those situations you can often get that camaraderie and approach you need that delivers you a dream ticket.’

Vance revealed that Marsh has an ankle ligament problem that could see him sidelined for three to four weeks, while the unfortunate Graham is still waiting on definitive news on his knee injury, but it could be long-term.

The Green Lions and their hosts today have something in common as both teams’ last league defeat came at the hands of Bracknell Town.

But while GFC lost 3-0 to the Isthmian South Central leaders just three days ago, Uxbridge have since embarked on a five-match unbeaten run in the league as well as winning three FA Trophy ties.

‘The performance can be key because the result can come off the back of a performance and it will be a bonus if we can get something,’ Vance said.

‘But really we want to come back unscathed because we want to make sure we can go full tilt at the games we know we should be winning.’

Guernsey FC’s game at Uxbridge kicks off at 12.45pm.