Guernsey captain Sam Cochrane scored the opener and was outstanding throughout Saturday’s match against CB Hounslow United. (Picture by Tom Tardif, 1170347)

CB Hounslow United 0, Guernsey FC 4
GUERNSEY FC overcame potentially their trickiest test yet as they cruised to another demolition job in London on Saturday.

Deprived of a number of big names through injury, including the late withdrawal of Dave Rihoy with a dodgy knee, a much-changed Green Lions showed their class to maintain their lead at the top of the table.

In truth, the second period was nothing more than shooting practice having earned a three-goal cushion at the break, although in fairness some of the one-touch football was a delight by the visitors.

On another day, it would comfortably have been double figures as Ross Allen and Dom Heaume should have had plenty more than the two and one they managed respectively, Hounslow keeper Bilal Khan their nemesis time and again.

But winning the three points was the priority and the visitors nearly made inroads to that target within 10 minutes of the first whistle.

Jacques Isabelle’s superb through ball dissected the home defence, but not for the last time, Allen was denied by the woodwork, his effort across Khan rebounding back off the far post.

Allen, whose brace takes his league tally to 15 goals in eight games, thought he had broken the deadlock on 19min. when a goalmouth scramble saw him divert a low corner towards goal.

Khan somehow kept it out with a fine reaction stop, although GFC were adamant the ball had crossed the line in the process, although the linesman thought otherwise.

Despite creating clear-cut chances, GFC were being given challenges of their own by Hounslow’s attackers, with Aaron Jones seeing a shot deflected wide, while Jerome Edwards’ header was straight at Chris Tardif from the resulting corner.

On those occasions where the home side did present a threat, GFC skipper Sam Cochrane was superb once again, reading and dictating the game with great aplomb, comfortably the best player on the pitch all afternoon.

It was fitting that it should be he who opened the scoring with a rare goal just before the half-hour mark, with the effort ultimately opening the floodgates.

An inswinging corner was headed across goal by Angus Mackay and Cochrane was left free to power his own header towards goal, finding the back of the net via the post and settling any nerves as a result.

It did not take long for that lead to double and for that man Allen to get his name on the scoresheet again, not for the first time in stunning fashion.

Under pressure in a crowded penalty area, he dragged the ball back between two defenders and instantly fired across Khan into the bottom corner, his quick feet and left-footed effort too much to handle.

But any thoughts that the game was dead were dispelled on 42min. when Tardif was called upon to keep the lead to two, after his defence had been ripped open for the only time all afternoon.

Daniel Bryon and Jones linked up well when they were two-on-one, the latter pulling the ball back across the area for the advancing Bryon, with only the GFC stopper to beat.

The effort was first time, but Tardif had made himself big and managed to superbly smother the shot from point-blank range, an ultimately game-changing moment.

It proved decisive nearly immediately, when Heaume wrapped up the three points a minute into first-half stoppage time.

Allen did excellently to make space and shoot from long range, his low effort only pushed onto the post by Khan, with Heaume the quickest to react to the loose ball.

He beat Khan and fired over him, finding the net via both the crossbar and post with his powerful effort, giving him the goal his link-up play with Allen richly deserved.

That proved the catalyst for a comfortable second 45 minutes, when GFC played some vintage stuff, although only one more was added to the scoreline.

Again it was Allen who provided it, although his low effort from 15 yards should have been easily kept out by Khan, who let it slip through his fingers in the now slippery conditions.

Despite getting his brace, Allen will be slightly disappointed he did not have at least another hat-trick to his name, missing numerous chances when one-on-one with Khan, including finding the crossbar on one occasion.

The home keeper also saved with his legs twice, while Allen could not divert a close-range header into the corner after Heaume had done well to pick out his unmarked teammate.

That chance had come about after a wonderful ball by young substitute Tom de la Mare, the 17-year-old coming off the bench for his GFC debut in centre-midfield.

The signs are certainly promising, as the teenager played with a maturity beyond his years, looking comfortable on the ball and playing numerous chance-creating passes.

The most gilt-edged chance of the lot fell to Heaume, who put over the crossbar from all of five yards with only Khan to beat, somehow scooping a mile over, even leading to amusement amongst the GFC bench, most notably assistant coach Colin Fallaize.

Ryan-Zico Black was also denied by Khan after excellent link-up play with Allen, Heaume and the mightily impressive Joby Bourgaize, also making his GFC debut in the unusual position of an attacking centre-midfielder.

Heaume came close once again when he fired wide of Khan’s far post and that proved to be the final chance for GFC on an afternoon where yet again everything went perfectly.

A top five in the Combined Counties League Division One table is now beginning to open up, with GFC at the head, having rattled in 30 goals in just eight games.

With up to eight big names still to return from the treatment table, a successful promotion push now looks inevitable as the season reaches its quarter-game mark.Cherry Red Records Combined Counties League Division One: Another away win for GFC