Guernsey FC secure survival after 3-3 Northwood draw

Charlton Gauvain's early goal helped Guernsey FC race inot a 3-0 lead

Guernsey FC boss Tony Vance says his side have laid the foundation for the next five years after securing survival in Isthmian League South Central.

The Green Lions drew 3-3 with Northwood at Footes Lane - having led 3-0 at half time - to get the draw they needed to survive.

The 17th-placed islanders are four points clear of Chipstead, who occupy the final relegation place and have one game left to play.

Survival came after a tough start to the season which saw Vance's side win just one of their first 15 games, but an upturn in form in December and January saw them survive.

"What we are trying to build here is the foundation for the next five years for this group coming through," Vance told BBC Radio Guernsey.

"It's been a really enjoyable year, the odd up and down here and there in terms of results and performances, but ultimately we made a conscious decision this year to start again, if you like, with a new group, have some older heads and we've got some players now that we can start building with.

"Myself and Steve and Kevin, at the start of the season we could see the style of play we wanted to go with and we were going to live by the sword, die by the sword and we said we knew it would be tough and we'd just about survive, being realistic, and we've done that."

Charlton Gauvain gave Guernsey an eighth-minute lead before Sam Murray doubled their tally nine minutes before half-time and Matt Loaring made it 3-0 with his 17th goal of the season in first-half stoppage time.

But Luke Tingey and Lucas Sinclair scored twice in two minutes midway through the second half before Northwood equalised with 16 minutes left to set up a tense finish.

"It was a game of two halves and a game of two very contrasting styles of football," added Vance.

"It's becoming the norm now that we're playing teams who can do long throw after long throw and go direct, and I get that's how they're going to succeed, but I just don't like it, I just don't like football like that.

"You saw a footballing team in the first half who really deserved to be 3-0 up and played very well and scored some good goals, and then second half you saw a team launching it and literally smashing the ball in the back of the net in any way they can.

"Fair play to them, they got a point. For us it's a point that's kept us up to a certain degree, but it's not today that's kept us up, it's the whole season."