Guernsey FC: 'Angry' Tony Vance team-talk inspires comeback in 4-4 draw with Basingstoke

Kieran Mahon's early goal had put Guernsey in front at Footes Lane

Guernsey FC manager Tony Vance said a rare angry half-time team talk helped inspire his side as they came from 3-1 down to draw 4-4 with Basingstoke Town.

Kieran Mahon put Guernsey in front but two Stefan Brown strikes and a Conor Lynch goal saw the visitors lead 3-1 at the half-time break.

Two Ross Allen goals for Guernsey were split by Lynch's second before Glenn le Tissier's 86th-minute equaliser.

The point lifts Guernsey off the bottom of Isthmian League South Central.

"I got a little frustrated at half-time and a few angry words came out of my mouth, which is unusual, but I wanted a reaction and fair play to the players they gave one," Vance told BBC Radio Guernsey.

"It's fantastic, because 3-1, 3-2 then 4-2, it looked like it was running away from us.

"It was probably amazingly entertaining for the crowd, but not for me."

The point extended Guernsey's unbeaten run to three games - their best form of the season so far.

Having begun their campaign in October after the island's Covid-19 travel rules were relaxed Guernsey still have between six and eight games in hand on the teams around them.

"Probably the worst thing we did was score - then you think 'this is great, we've got our goal, we can push on' and then we just dropped off completely and everything went," Vance added.

"The technical ability, the tactical side of things, definitely the physicality and the mentality of wanting to win the ball and wanting to compete completely went, and they were well on top of us.

"But half-time we had a little chat and second half a great response.

"It does show again that we can compete with these teams, but sometimes you've got to turn those points into three, but today we didn't deserve three for sure, so I'll probably take a point."

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