Worcester Park 1, Guernsey FC 4
IF BEING clinical in front of goal wins you titles and promotions, then Guernsey FC are well on course for a rapid progression through the UK leagues.

Because on this visit to reigning champions Worcester Park, the Green Lions were full value for their superb victory with a fine overall display.

They controlled the game magnificently in the first half, before scrapping in a physical second and taking three points thanks to the brilliance of Dave Rihoy and Ross Allen.

That they kept their heads when mistimed and reckless tackles were flying in was testament to their maturity, although in truth the job was nearly done by half-time, GFC leading 3-0.

In fairness to Worcester Park, it could have been different had their end product been that bit better. They refused to lie down  unlike some of the Lions’ previous opponents.

But with GFC’s near-faultless defence and workaholic midfield, they ultimately had no answer to the attacking class of the visitors, illustrated by Rihoy’s opener on 18 minutes.

Chances had been at a premium up to then, Rihoy blazing over from a corner in one of note, but he was the man to finish off a fine move to break the deadlock.

Angus Mackay’s long ball behind full-back Declan Teuten just about found Matt Loaring, who did well to keep the ball in play and put in a teasing cross.

Via a defensive head, it found Dom Heaume on the other side who slid into Rihoy’s feet right on the far corner of the penalty area.

Surrounded by defenders, his first touch got it out of his feet and his second was a stunning angled strike across goal, which found the bottom corner and gave Steve Winnen no chance.

It is the sort of goal we have become accustomed to seeing Rihoy score over the years for fun, but it made the execution of it no less special.

He nearly did the same moments later, this time his shot flying narrowly wide, before he was nearly able to pounce on a horrendous Winnen error.

A through ball looked to have been dealt with by the home keeper, only for it to slip under his body and inch towards goal, but Darren Beale made a fine last-ditch sliding tackle to deny Rihoy the tap-in.

It was soon two, Allen taking his tally to 45 for the season with one of his best yet.

Heaume laid the ball sideways to Allen some 20 yards out and after taking one touch to open his body up, he unleashed a ferocious dipping effort that flew in off the underside of Winnen’s crossbar.

To describe it as more than a half-chance would do injustice to the quality of the strike, which led one neutral observer to claim he had seen more quality in one half than he had seen from other teams throughout the season.

Unfortunately, the darker side of Worcester’s game was starting to come out and Tom Costelloe can count himself lucky that his high tackle on Ollie McKenzie only earned a yellow card from referee Michael Stevens and not a red.

Costelloe could easily have been booked earlier for a late tackle on Rihoy and, in truth, it probably summed up Stevens’ performance with a string of questionable decisions.

But GFC did not let that bother them, making it three just before half-time, punishing Worcester Park, who had just missed their best chance through James Dunning.

Heaume was once again instrumental with a through ball finding Loaring down the left and he did superbly to keep it in play with a first-time cross angled back from the byline.

Allen was there to catch it perfectly with a swivelled left-footed volley that found the bottom corner, another goal of high-quality giving Winnen little chance.

With that first-half showing effectively wrapping up the three points, the second period was one of attrition as GFC dug in well and scrapped for every ball.

It would have proved to many that there is more than one string to their bow, as they never looked in much danger – Gary McLaughlin’s side-netting effort an exception – and were also increasingly threatening on the counter-attack.

There was also time for the long-awaited return from injury of Glyn Dyer after five months out, while Scott Bradford and Tom Strawbridge both also got pitch time.

Two of those would soon be in the centre of the action, starting with Dyer, who almost inevitably set up the fourth goal in his brief cameo spell.

His low ball across the area from the left was turned in smartly by Rihoy.

But Worcester Park refused to surrender, beating GFC keeper Chris Tardif twice in the closing minutes, both dramatic for differing reasons.

The first was a 25-yard snapshot from substitute Chad Heuston which came back off the inside of the post into Tardif’s grateful arms, before a controversial consolation was gained with a minute remaining.

A long-range shot was well blocked by Strawbridge, but the rebound allowed Marc Muino to go round Tardif and pull the ball back from the byline to Gary Knowelden.

He blasted goalwards from all of five yards and looked like he could not miss, although he had not banked on Strawbridge’s acrobatic brilliance, remarkably keeping the ball out with his midriff.

But somehow the linesman adjudged the shot to have crossed the line and gave the goal, despite it clearly being a yard or so in play. It was the only negative for an otherwise resounding afternoon for the Lions in what was one of their strongest all-round displays of the season so far.