Post by oap on Feb 9, 2014 17:36:32 GMT
Football wins the day despite challenging conditions
Guernsey FC 4 Eastbourne Town 2
Bottom of the table Eastbourne Town came to Footes Lane with a much changed team from last time out when, against Merstham, their defensive frailties were very much to the fore. However, this evening, under the leadership of their recently appointed manager, John Lambert who is Eastbourne’s third man at the helm this season it was clear right from the off how the visitors were going to set their stall out.
The weather conditions that both teams had to master could be diplomatically described as challenging, with a strong south-westerly gale gusting in excess of 35mph and a pitch that was understandably uneven having survived the rigours of a rugby match earlier in the day.
However one team made an attempt to play football whilst the other elected to adopt spoiling tactics, looking to slow the game down throughout the 90 and never really looking to play progressive football, despite having, in Tom Bold, Max Hollobone and Billy Medlock three players who were comfortable on the ball.
And it was Bold who almost got his team off to the perfect start when his opening minute, dipping free kick had the home keeper beaten all ends up, -only for his cracking thirty yard effort to crash against the bar. Guernsey’s response was immediate as within three minutes Dom Heaume met a Glyn Dyer ball into the box. His close control gave him the opportunity to get a volley away but James Broadbent, the British Universities keeper, matched the effort with an instinctive save.
Playing with the gusting wind at their backs it was Hollobone who looked the most creative of the Town players and he was always threatening to hurt the hosts. But whenever the opportunity arose his team mates were happy to revert to football that had an agricultural bias whilst the home team tried to get their passing game going, -even though neither the pitch nor the strong wind proved to be Guernsey’s ally.
After eight minutes Dave Rihoy’s forward advance was illegally halted but Ross Allen’s free-kick produced a routine save from Broadbent. Four minutes later the ever-busy Matt Loaring’s direct run on goal came to a halt when the pitch got the better of the player.
Though the surface was far from ideal at least the official gate of 706 had a game to watch whilst the vast majority of matches across the three Ryman divisions fell victim to waterlogging.
On the half hour, the home side were starting to stamp their authority on the game, they were still far from being at their very best but a flowing move showed they will always be a passing team. Starting with an intelligent ball out of defence from Nigel Hutton, Rihoy and Heaume were soon involved as they linked to release Allen. With the ball at his feet Allen turned his full-back inside out but again Broadbent was on hand to smother his goal bound effort.
However after 36 minutes, Hollobone was able to take advantage of a wind assisted ball that hung on the edge of the box to play in his number 10, Billy Medlock. Medlock is a prolific scorer and he needed no second invitation to skilfully touch the ball beyond Tardif to open the scoring. His competitive nature came to the fore as he joyfully wheeled away to quieten the Garenne.
Loaring responded with two efforts within three minutes, his first from the edge of the box flew wide, whilst his second from an angle did test the keeper. Eastbourne though, as the clock ticked into added time had a great chance to double their advantage and Tardif had to be alert to save smartly and ensure that the home team’s deficit at the break was just that single Medlock finish.
The second period started with a touch of deja-vu, just as the first half saw an early free kick so the second began in similar fashion. Inside the opening minute, with the ball at his feet, Allen’s progress was impeded. Guernsey’s talisman stepped up and though his effort was deflected, the maestro had struck again, levelling the score at 1-1 but also striking his team’s 400th goal in a little over two and a half seasons. The Green Lion’s tails were well and truly up and Allen was starting to look hungry and unplayable, tormenting the Eastbourne back-line every time he was on the ball. On 50 minutes he once again turned two defenders inside out, his shot cannoned off the far post but fell kindly to the feet of Rihoy who made no mistake in firing confidently home to give Guernsey the lead.
Lambert responded by replacing Andrew Mensah with Dominic Clarke and the number 12 was to have an immediate impact. Chris Tardif got a hand to a cross shot but only deflected the ball into the path of Clarke who made no mistake to level things at two apiece.
On the hour, Broadbent once again showed why he is such an acclaimed keeper as he pulled off a point-blank, stunning save after Heaume met an Allen cross with a delicious volley. Now was the time for Tony Vance to make a change with Ryan-Zico Black joining the fray in the place of Rhys Jordan. And like Clarke, Black was also to have an instant impact as in the 63rd minute he superbly controlled a deep, swinging pass from wide on the right. He then cut inside to create the space to get his shot away and beat Broadbent all ends up to give the Green Lions the advantage again. The cream was coming to the top. Three minutes late a Dyer free-kick from close to the right touch line was swung in and only cleared the bar by a matter of inches. Both teams made further substitutions and it was Guernsey’s Marc McGrath who was the busier being involved on three separate occasions but without any luck. From his first effort Broadbent again had to be alert, not once but twice, as he also stopped a Heaume follow-up. However the three points were assured following a well worked corner routine that saw Dyer and Black set-up a chance for their skipper Sam Cochrane to bury with great delight. However his ecstasy soon turned to agony as he appeared to damage his lower leg, possibly ankle ligaments (?) as he celebrated in front of the Garenne. Late in the game both McGrath and Allen had glorious chances to truly seal the contest, but the former lost his footing and the latter and man-of-the-match blazed over from close range.
However winning of the three points was marred by the injury to the GFC captain, -the fact that he was carried off on a stretcher was a timely reminder to all who follow the Green Lions that the team they follow are amateurs. It is to be hoped that Sam Cochrane will be available for selection soon but more pertinently will not miss too much time from his day job with B & C Garden Maintenance.
Allez les Verts
John Marquis
Town were without Sutton (suspended)and Lansdale (unable to travel) but welcomed back Jack Battie, Andy Mensah, Keeper Broadbent and Richard Greenfield who all missed the previous game. Newcomers were Kieron Joseph (from Crawley Down Gatwick), Ryan Cooper and Dominic Clarke.