Guernsey stroll past below-par Dockers

Newhaven 1 Guernsey 5, SCFL Premier Division match #25, Saturday 24^th January 2026

I think it’s fair to say that Guernsey have not exactly been our favourite team to play this season.

Having been soundly beaten over there back in September (a game I wasn’t at so can’t possibly comment on) it was hoped that Saturday’s reverse fixture would give us the opportunity to hopefully gain at least a modicum of revenge.

Unfortunately, it didn’t happen.

And, in fairness, it never really looked likely to, as the Dockers endured an off-day against a very good side who made them pay.

From the outset, Guernsey just seemed more alert, switched on; playing at a high-tempo that we were, for whatever reason, simply unable to match.

By the time the visitors opened the scoring in the 15^th minute, they’d already missed a couple of chances and had a goal chalked off for handball, courtesy of the assistant who spotted an offence that, of everyone present in Fort Road, only the ref appeared to miss.

In fairness, the opener was arguably one of the best strikes seen at Fort Road this season, as Ross Allen struck a sweet dipping half-volley into the corner from outside the area.

There was no immediate response from the Dockers, and soon after Guernsey spurned another couple of chances to increase their lead. We were hanging on, barely managing to stay in the game.

Just before the half-hour mark, Ezra Roeg finally forced the visiting keeper into some action, with a fierce shot that was too hot for him to handle. Roeg reached the rebound first, appeared to be clearly clipped from behind as he took the ball back under control, but nothing was given; even some of the Guernsey supporters close to me seemed surprised about it.

Perhaps given a reprieve, the visitors took full advantage. Two minutes later, they were 2-0 up courtesy of another fine finish from the impressive Allen.

Four minutes after that Guernsey had a third. Following a swift counter, Roman Chiosa saved the first effort but could do nothing to prevent Sam Murray tapping home from all of a yard out.

It was hard to argue with the scoreline at this point, so comprehensively outplayed had Newhaven been.

We did at least end the half with a couple of half-chances. First Noah Hoffman (who along with Lee Robinson was having a decent game for us) struck a long-range effort wide, before a Tom Howard-Bold free-kick flew just over.

A change of shape at half-time did bring about an improved second-half performance; although it didn’t look like this would be the case just a minute after the restart. Guernsey twice went close to adding a fourth inside the opening 40 seconds, but we survived and then began a short-lived rally of our own.

On 52 minutes, we got a goal back. Harry Hammond surged down the right, his low cross was flicked goalwards by Robbo, where Ryan Blunt was on hand to tap the ball into the back of the net.

For the next five minutes, Guernsey looked strangely rattled.

Robbo got through on goal, only to try and square to Blunt when a shot may have been a better option; Hammond’s cross was fumbled by the visiting keeper, but no one was on hand to force the ball home; and Billy Oliver just lost out to the keeper on a ball over the top which Guernsey's sweeper-keeper just about got to first.

Suddenly, there was a feeling that if we could grab another goal, Guernsey might just start to really rock. Could there actually be a way back into the game?

No, unfortunately.

With almost an hour on the clock, Guernsey got the killer fourth, as a low cross was finished off by the unmarked Murray. A really sloppy goal to concede at a vital stage of the game.

Hoffman was then sent to the sin-bin a couple of minutes later, after letting his frustration with the man in the middle boil over (it was understandable frustration, in fairness), and Guernsey shortly added a fifth. Allen completing his hat-trick with yet another brilliant finish. It certainly was some hat-trick.

The Dockers huffed and puffed as they sort to make the scoreline at least a little more respectable, but Guernsey never really looked like being breached again, confining Newhaven to a second heavy defeat of the season against the Channel Islanders.

So a disappointing afternoon for the Dockers. There can be little doubt about that. However, one thing we do know about the spirit of this side is that they do tend to bounce back well from poor performances.

We’ll be hoping to keep this trend going on Saturday, as Wick visit Fort Road. Having beaten them at their place earlier in the season, keep your fingers-crossed that we can make it a double and keep our unlikely play-off challenge alive.

After that, we visit title challengers Steyning (the team we will also play in the Peter Bentley Cup semi-final, also in February). Let’s hope we can go into that extremely tricky encounter with the confidence of a decent result and performance under our belts.

Your support, as ever, would be much appreciated.

Come On You Dockers!

My man of the match (aka, the controversial part): Lee Robinson. Back-to-back man of the match awards for Robbo, who simply ran his socks off up and down the right wing. His commitment to the cause could not be doubted.