Ross Allen added another hat-trick to his tally, despite missing a penalty for Guernsey FC at Frimley Green. (Picture by Tom Tardif, 1170351)

Frimley Green 0, Guernsey FC 5
THE old cliche of a game of two halves has perhaps never been quite suited to any match more than Guernsey FC’s latest stunning showing in the Combined Counties League Division One.

For 45 minutes of this clash with the mightily poor Frimley Green, with only the odd Ross Allen goal separating the teams, it looked as if the Green Lions may need to scrap for all three points.

But after a scintillating second-half showing that left many in the ground wondering how many goals GFC could have actually finished with, the most powerful message yet of their promotion ambitions had been sent out around the region.

True, the hosts were arguably the weakest side Tony Vance’s team have yet faced this season, but to put them to the sword so skilfully in their own backyard showed that this GFC team’s time is most certainly now.

Allen was the man to nab another hat-trick, as well as missing from the penalty spot, but chances came and went to practically every visiting player on the park, bar goalkeeper Paul de Garis, who played his part with two crucial saves.

On another day, GFC would have reached double figures, perhaps scoring as many as 15 or 20, but three points were the order of the day and thanks to chances being created at will, it was achieved.

But for 40 first-half minutes, it was nervy to say the least.

Despite never being put under any real pressure, GFC simply could not find any rhythm on a far-from-level surface, passes regularly failing to find their target, both on a short and long scale.

Allen and Dave Rihoy’s low shots straight at Adam Thomson and the former’s low teasing ball across the area were the closest the visitors had come in that time, with the defensive unit needing to be on guard, most notably towering skipper Sam Cochrane.

The home side had not made it easy for the Green Lions in fairness, their dogged approach proving effective.

But after huffing and puffing to no avail, the breakthrough finally did come on 41 minutes, with a rare move of pure class in that opening period.

Ollie McKenzie was the man to send in a flighted cross to the back post, where Dom Heaume rose highest to nod back into the path of Allen, who did the rest with an acrobatic scissors kick from close range.

Although the finish was class, the header back from the magnificent Heaume made the goal, the first decisive intervention made by easily GFC’s best player on the day.

Angus Mackay nearly made it two before the break but his lobbed shot was cleared off the line as GFC started to create space more freely against a stretched Frimley Green backline.

As it was, though, they had to wait until the hour mark to double that lead and effectively seal the vital three points.

By then, de Garis had made a pair of stunning saves in quick succession, on both occasions atoning for his defence’s lackadaisicalness, first from a marginal offside call and latterly from a header after a teasing ball in.

And that was ultimately match-winning as McKenzie’s ball in was only headed clear to Ryan-Zico Black from 10 yards, the midfielder doing the rest with a clinical poked effort across Thomson and into the bottom corner.

Heaume should have added a third soon after, but could only take the ball around Thomson and out of play, while Black’s effort forced a sublime reaction stop from the home stopper, somehow getting to his near post.

But that did not matter for long, as Heaume did make the game safe on 68min. with a wonderful piece of improvisation.

Glyn Dyer’s cross in found the GFC star, but he still had plenty to do, positioned as he was side-on to Thomson’s goal.

But his flicked finish was emphatic and it was now a case of how many could the visitors add as Frimley Green seemingly lost interest as their energy levels drained.

The answer truthfully should have been more akin to a rugby score as Allen, Dyer, Rihoy and substitutes Matt Loaring and Scott Bougourd all spurned good opportunities soon after, the majority on more than one occasion.

However, a final five-minute blitz emphasised GFC’s remarkable superiority, as Allen turned in Dyer’s cross with five minutes of the 90 remaining.

And almost as soon as the woeful Michael Brown had blown his whistle for the restart, it was five, as Allen shot across Thomson to complete his hat-trick and mark another successful outing this season.

It should have been even more when Rihoy was brought down and Brown pointed to the penalty spot, partly atoning for his earlier error when Jacques Isabelle was bafflingly booked for diving, allowing Allen the chance for his fourth.

This time, his low and weak effort from 12 yards was saved by Thomson, in what was the only highlight on a worrying afternoon for the little UK village side.

There were no such issues for GFC, though, as they continued their unbeaten march through the CCL, illustrating once again that their class will ensure they are the side to beat in the coming months.