Guernsey 4, Hartley Wintney 0
FOR the opening half-hour of this crunch top-of-the-table clash, it looked as though Guernsey FC would not have it all their own way for once at Footes Lane.

But, as has happened so often, a devastating flurry of goals and the three points were effectively won by the half-time whistle.

That the Green Lions could so brutally put away a team that has already shown its class in its FA Cup run this season opens up the belief that it will be the Lions revelling in Cup magic in a couple of seasons’ time.

For now, though, their priority is promotion and with Hartley Wintney the league’s only unbeaten side, it was no surprise that the opening exchanges were closely-fought.

Saying that, GFC keeper Chris Tardif was not really troubled on a single occasion throughout, while his opposite number Lee Allen had to be alert to various balls over the top.

But with GFC starting to assert a foothold in the game, due in no small part to the sustained excellence of man-of-the-match Ryan-Zico Black and captain Sam Cochrane, pressure was picking up.

And when Dom Heaume’s through ball found Allen in on goal, his namesake could only bring him down and referee Mark Ford had no hesitation pointing to the spot for the clearest of penalties.

GFC’s Allen dusted himself off to take the kick, converting it with authority, his half-hour strike starting what turned out to be a seven-minute goal blitz, something that is becoming a Lions trademark at home this season.

It has killed off numerous teams already and Hartley Wintney were no different, with the lead being doubled four minutes after that opener.

Allen and the excellent Matt Loaring found themselves two against one with a bouncing ball and after negotiating the first part successfully, Loaring’s weak close-range shot was saved.

But the rebound fell to Allen, who had the simplest of tasks to tap into an empty net and take his own tally to a barely-believable 36 goals for the season.

The damage should have been enhanced almost immediately from the restart when Loaring once again found himself clean through, this time his low effort being dragged wide of both keeper and the far post.

It summed up a frustrating afternoon for Loaring in front of goal as he missed numerous chances, although, that aside, the rest of his attacking play was flawless.

And he was to play a major part in the third on 37min., the goal that effectively wrapped up the three points seemingly only a blink of the eye after that opening penalty.

Loaring’s low cross into Heaume’s feet saw the striker trying to twist and turn his way into getting a shot off, but with his back to goal he had to settle for poking the ball back to the edge of the 18-yard box.

It may have come as a surprise to see right-back Jacques Isabelle as the man waiting for the lay-off, but his thunderbolt of a drive gave Hartley’s Allen no chance as it flew beyond him into the top corner.

Isabelle’s first goal for the club was also arguably one of the strikes of this season so far, as GFC were now looking like scoring every time they went forward.

Loaring should have added a fourth in first-half stoppage time, this time chipping straight into Allen’s grateful arms after again being clean through, while Hartley had their best chance at the other end.

Jermaine Hamilton did well to spin Cochrane on the edge of the area but his finish was lacking, dragging his shot miles wide of Tardif’s goal.

The half-time break effectively killed the game, as GFC did what they had to after the restart, with a largely uneventful 45 minutes following as a result of the win being sewn up.

However, the move of the match should have brought the fourth on 64min., Loaring again erring in front of goal after a swift counter-attacking move.

A cracking whipped ball by Isabelle was dummied by Loaring and found Heaume, who side-footed into Mackay and who gave it back across to Loaring, who could only shoot straight at Allen.

But GFC were rewarded with a fourth that their performance richly warranted on 80min., Allen this time grabbing an assist after his fierce effort was parried by his namesake.

The rebound fell across to Heaume, who made no mistake and did the rest by finding the empty net, for his 12th goal of the campaign.

Allen nearly got his hat-trick in the dying minutes as his deflected effort found the crossbar, before he was denied the chance of another penalty kick with the last action of the game, deep in stoppage time.

Substitute Luke Winch found himself clean through and his pace looked to have got him a strike at goal, before being clearly bundled over from behind by Chris Paterson.

It was the clearest of fouls and would have been a certain red card, but Ford waved away the appeals, preventing another five-star showing by the Lions.

But they will not mind too much, as they clocked up another win closer to promotion and with the attacking options available, you feel that could be just the start of their non-league adventure.