There was little festive cheer around Woodstock Sports, apart from that heading back to the Channel Islands, as Guernsey earned a 2-0 win over a Sittingbourne side that have now failed to score in three consecutive games.

The Green Lions were indebted to a stunning double save by Chris Tardif – the second save from Jono Richardson’s header truly world-class – to keep the scores level, before Matthew Loaring beat the Brickies’ offside trap to slide the visitors ahead in the 27th minute.

The win was sealed as Dominic Heaume tapped in with twelve minutes remaining after Adam Molloy had parried Craig Young’s initial shot.

Brickies manager, Nick Davis, “It’s disappointing as I don’t think we got started today.  We were giving the ball away, not getting pressure on their players, and we’ve got to keep the ball much better; it’s as simple as that. I wasn’t happy with how easily they went through with just one ball, and I had to explain that if we don’t put pressure on the ball, you cannot hold a high line. We were a little naïve at the back, but I told them at half-time and we were much better second half.”

“It was a great double save (from Chris Tardif when the score was 0-0), and it shows things aren’t going for us. We created as much as Guernsey, but if you don’t score, you don’t win games. At the moment, I’m looking at where our next goal is coming from, and that is a worry.  When you’re not scoring the alarm bells start ringing because we’re not safe in this division yet. We tried to be a bit more attacking today, and we are getting players back; David Abe came in today which was a plus, but Stephen Okoh was missing.”

“We were beaten by a straight ball for their first goal, but Adam was saying he thought the guy handled it as he went through. But I think we switched off on their second. They are technically good players and like to get things moving quickly, and that’s exactly what happened. That was a killer blow, as we were really going to struggle from two down when we’re not scoring.”

Guernsey’s build-up to the game was disrupted through the loss of Kieron Mahon during the warm-up; his replacement, Dave Rihoy, who wasn’t even among the 13 players initially handed to the referee, would turn out to have an influential role in the Green Lions’ win.

Each side had a half-chance inside the first ten minutes; Guernsey skipper Sam Cochrane volleying a Rihoy corner wide, and George Crimmen dropping a header past the right hand post.  But, with Sittingbourne’s defence trying to play a high line to limit the space in their own half, Guernsey’s midfielders capitalised on the opportunities to play the ball in behind the Brickies back-line.

Rihoy made the first run in the 8th minute, which saw Adam Molloy forced into a block with his legs, then the keeper was forced into a save at the feet of Dominic Heaume.  From the save, with Molloy lying injured, the ball looped up to Angus Mackay, who couldn’t direct his header on target.

Sittingbourne were gaining some joy through Jono Richardson’s overlapping runs on the left wing, but too often, there was a mass of white shirts to keep their goal intact.  When the defence was breached, Chris Tardif stood between the Brickies and the goal they were searching for.

Hicham Akhazzan curled a ball in towards the back post that was just too far ahead of Ellie Kayembe’s run.  Tardif had to adjust his feet quickly to block Tom Brunt’s arrival at the back post.  The ball rebounded to Peter Smith, who swung a cross back into the area, where Richardson, arriving late in the box, climbed highest, and appeared to have buried his header in the left corner, until somehow Tardif, at full stretch, managed to claw the effort out.

The visitors, as if inspired by their goalkeeper’s heroics, took the lead five minutes later, on 27, as the high defensive line was breached again.  Molloy’s clearance kick was intercepted in the centre circle by Mackay, who lofted a ball beyond both Crimmen and Matt Harden.  Loaring ran through unchallenged and drew Molloy out before sliding a shot into the right corner.

On 34, Loaring had an identical opportunity, but this time his second touch was too firm and the ball ran through to Molloy.  In reply, Joe Nwoko found space in the Guernsey area, but couldn’t get the ball out from his feet to get a shot away, and the chance was gone.

Just before the interval, Guernsey put together a passing move of over 20 touches that ended with Rihoy firing a volley at Molloy.

Although they came into the game with the worst defensive record in Ryman South, Guernsey are also the third highest scorers, and continued to press in the second half.  After a hesitation in the Sittingbourne defence, Rihoy slipped a ball through to Craig Young, whose shot was blocked by Crimmen.  Rihoy then had a shot deflect of the Brickies’ defender and loop onto the roof of the net.

The closest that Sittingbourne came was a Nwoko shot that hit Josh Steel, performing manfully as a central defender, after his outstanding display as an attacking midfielder last week at Whitstable.  Substitute David Abe also fired a shot into the side netting, although he had teammates screaming for a ball across the box.

Neither keeper was fully extended for long periods as Ryan Zico-Black put a shot on target for Guernsey and Robertson had another header drop over the bar, but the game was decided in the visitor’s favour with twelve minutes remaining.

Zico-Black took a quick freekick and, as the ball deflected off two Sittingbourne defenders, Young found himself one-on-one with Molloy.  The keeper was able to block the midfielder’s effort, but the rebound ran across the face of goal, where Heaume was the first to react to tap home.

Try as they might, Sittingbourne couldn’t put a telling ball into the Guernsey area, and the only shot that Tardif had to save came from another substitute, Ehis Izokun, but was from too great a distance to test the keeper.

It doesn’t get any easier for Davis though, as Sittingbourne’s Christmas programme sees the club facing derby matches against promotion-chasing Faversham and Folkestone Invicta.

He admitted “they are flying.  I think the top four sides are a cut above the rest of the league.  We played Merstham recently and they are the best side I’ve seen; I wasn’t here for the Burgess Hill game, but we all know what the Kent sides are about and I think Faversham and Folkestone are in that bracket.  We’ll dust ourselves down tonight and you know anything can happen.

SITTINGBOURNE: Adam Molloy, Ollie Brown, Jono Richardson, Matt Harden, George Crimmen, Ollie Bankole, Peter Smith (Ehis Izokun 82), Tom Brunt, Joe Nwoko, Ellie Kayembe (David Abe 50), Hicham Akhazzan (Bryan Bell 62).

Subs not used: Gary Webb, Nick Davis.

GUERNSEY: Chris Tardif, Liam Mahon, Jason Winch, Sam Cochrane, Josh Steel, Angus Mackay, Dave Rihoy (Daniel Hale 86), Ryan Zico-Black, Dominic Heaume, Matthew Loaring (Paris Pereira 64), Craig Young.

Goals: Matthew Loaring 27, Dominic Heaume 78.

Booked: Ryan Zico-Black 75.

Attendance: 123
Referee: Mr Stuart Butler (Coxheath)
Assistants: Mr Gerry Heron (Beckenham) and Mr Garry Worrell (Thornton Heath)