2-0 up at half time with first half strikes from Josh Wright and Mark Morgan this looked like another 3 points but the Boars got absolutely destroyed by their visitors in the second half with 5 unanswered goals, with some lackluster defending and decision making to put it mildly. Eversley had 4 out from last week with injuries taking their toll after last week victory in Guernsey but really can’t excuse the most of our team today who capitulated once WP were gifted their first goal on 50 mins after a mix up between Cooper and Dan Taylor.
WP showed why they won the league last season and took advantage of an inept showing by a lot of the Eversley players. The management couldn`t have emphasised enough that this musn`t be an ‘after the lord mayor’s show performance’…… unfortunately it was.

With top striker Matt Baker now out for the season and Hartley Wintney with games in hand getting promoted is going to be a tough ask. Time will tell whether other players can step up to the plate and rise to the challenge,

Team: Hatton, Cooper, D Taylor (Fisher), Kleboe, Morgan, Thomas, Reilly, S Taylor, Stamp, Wright, Cann

That it was on Saturday and not next season in the CCL Premier came as something of an unpalatable shock to large sections of the packed Garenne Stand who had convinced themselves that referee Brian Fish was an Eversley man in disguise.

Certainly, Mr Fish was public enemy No.1 long before his final whistle brought to a close a highly-eventful game watched by 1,310, having sent off Green Lions right back Jacques Isabelle, awarded the visitors a late penalty and, in their eyes, given the home side next to nothing.

But to pile the blame for a first home defeat on this Fish out of water – in the eyes of many – was perhaps wide of the mark.

The referee was definitely not the reason Guernsey FC lost this game and saw their lead at the top of Division One trimmed to four points.

Eversley were a decent side, solid at the back, organised and, in Matt Baker, have one of the league’s best finishers up front.

The big No. 10 might not be anywhere near as elusive and energetic as his Guernsey opposite number, but he proved a handful for the home back line and, by the end, had kept ground with Ross Allen at the top of the division’s scorers list, both men having helped themselves to a couple.

No, the Green Lions lost this one largely because they failed to adapt to the conditions and, with the notable exception of the admirable Ryan-Zico Black, by far GFC’s best player on the day, were shaken out of their usual confident approach by quality visitors.

Too many Guernsey players were off the boil.

But if one moment defined that it was not going to be the Lions’ day it came nine minutes after half-time with the home side having just fallen two goals behind.

A super counter-attack saw the chance for Dave Rihoy to head Guernsey back in the game from six yards out.

It seemed Guernsey must score as the cross from the left met his forehead fair and square. But instead of the net bulging the ball was brilliantly blocked and Eversley had escaped.

Rihoy had much earlier carved the game’s first chance, a 22-yarder that flew well over after six minutes.

Allen also twice went close in the opening quarter-of-an-hour and Rihoy had an effort kicked off the line by a covering defender after he had rounded the keeper who had put his side under pressure by smashing a low goal-kick into a teammate who failed to control and let the Bels man in on goal.

At that stage a Guernsey goal seemed inevitable, but 20 minutes in suddenly the home side lost shape, concentration, composure and their grip on the game.

For a few minutes Guernsey seemed incapable of finding a teammate from five yards, and on 26 minutes they fell behind, although there was a large slice of fortune for Eversley in how the goal materialised.

Isabelle stuck out a boot in an attempt to cut out a diagonal ball into the box, which only served to divert it back across the box to the predatory Baker who said thank you very much from eight yards out.

No need to panic, we all thought, and within a minute Allen was heading over from Matt Loaring’s looped cross which held up in the strong wind and confused both keeper and Allen who saw the ball bounce off the back of his head and over.

The half ended with Guernsey’s trademark corner routine, one that served them so successfully on their National Systems Cup run.

Rihoy met the low ball in from the right but this time he badly scuffed the shot.

The half-time feeling was that the Lions could surely not play as ineffectively again in the second half. A rousing team talk or a few flying cups would shake them out of their slumbers.

Alas no.

Just three minutes in, Eversley were two up.

Baker’s 35-yarder had Chris Tardif scrambling to his left to parry around for a corner from which the ball fell kindly to Alex Frostick and his close-range finish silenced the home crowd.

Immediately, Guernsey threw on Glyn Dyer for a strangely out-of-sorts Angus Mackay and the little man’s first touch was a glancing header that flew wide for a corner.

Heaume dropped into a deeper midfield role and Guernsey went four up top, throwing caution to the wind.

On 59min. Guernsey were back in it.

Allen, who had endured a frustrating first period when nothing stuck to his boot, went past three men as he hared down the left and cut into the box.

Before he could shoot, the Eversley skipper James Reeves brought him down and after the No. 5 had had received his yellow card for the foul, Allen lashed the penalty high into the net.

The springboard to recovery was celebrated wildly by the stand crowd panicked by the 0-2 scoreline, but no sooner had the cheering died down than the Lions chins were back on their chests.

Isabelle, who had been yellow carded for a clumsy challenge moments after Allen’s goal, cynically ended the run of an opponent and a second caution meant he was off.

It was totally the right decision but as excitement and frustration grew in the crowd, every decision by the referee was now being questioned as were the frequent breaks in play for injuries to the visitors.

When they could find momentum, the Lions poured forward but handicapped themselves by lacking the width, which should have been provided by the attacking armoury at their disposal.

All the while the Lions were increasingly susceptible to the counter-attack and on 89min., with the likelihood of several minutes of stoppage time to be added on, they conceded again.

Cochrane was adjudged to have clipped Mark Morgan just inside the box, and, although it seemed all too soft or a figment of the referee’s imagination, certainly as far as the stand were concerned, Mr Fish quickly pointed to the spot and Baker sent Tardif the wrong way from the spot.

Moments later the handheld electronic board went up with just six minutes to be added on, not the eight, nine or even 10 minutes many islanders expected.

Four of those added minutes had slipped by when Allen went on another of his trademark slaloms into the box and drove a low shot under keeper Richard Shelley: 3-2.

But there was no miracle escape and, to be honest, Guernsey did not deserve it.

Eversley were too solid to concede again and with tensions higher than we have seen all season at Footes Lane, the final whistle was blown by a distinctly unpopular Mr Fish.

A great night out followed as we painted the town yellow and blue for the evening! A few sore heads the following morning and Kleboe filled 4 airline sick bags on the flight home to complete a fabulous and historic trip.

Eversley: Shelley, Cooper, Morgan, Reeves (Jeffery (D Taylor for jeffery)), Frostwick, Thomas, Kleboe, S Taylor, Stamp, Baker (Fisher), Cann   Sub not used: Hayes

Super sub Paul Hudson made it 3-2 with 5 to go and man of the match Jon Underwood smashed a last minute volley home to level the game and keep well in the title hunt.

Great debuts from Scott Brighty & Lawrence Stephenson who was constantly pelted with mud from the boots of the Golden Lion centre back’s boots all game! We are trying to convince that most games in the league are played with spirit and respect from both sides so hopefully he will be back to grace us with his sublime skills again!