Guernsey FC manager Tony Vance looks to second-half performance as springboard for next season

Guernsey FC manager Tony Vance is looking ahead to next season with optimism after his team’s thrilling 5-4 loss to Raynes Park Vale in their final game of the season. Despite trailing 3-1 at halftime, a hat-trick from Sam Murray helped the Green Lions claw their way back to 4-4, only for a last-minute winner from Tom Barnes to snatch victory away from them.

Vance was pleased with his team’s second-half performance and hopes to build on that momentum for the upcoming season. “There were a few harsh words, I just wanted more from them,” Vance said of his halftime team talk. “I wanted to really get at them and be braver, sharper, and more aggressive, and they very much were in the second half.”

Murray, who has been in scintillating form with nine goals in his last seven games, was instrumental in Guernsey’s comeback, scoring two goals in the second half to level the score. Despite the loss, Vance believes that his team deserved at least a draw for their efforts.

The match was a rollercoaster of emotions, with both teams trading goals in a high-scoring affair. Guernsey’s Owen Wallbridge and Charlie Penny, along with Raynes Park Vale’s Jordan Gallagher and Jermaine Green, all found the back of the net in an action-packed game.

“We literally gifted them three goals, and at halftime, I was a little bit disappointed because the opposition we played weren’t really treating it with the right respect I don’t think,” added Vance. “But that’s up to them how they played the game, but for us, we wanted to finish with a competitive game.”

Despite the disappointing result, Vance is proud of his team’s fighting spirit and is confident that they can carry that momentum into the next season. Guernsey FC finished the season in 18th place in the Isthmian League South Central, four points clear of the relegation zone. With players like Sam Murray in top form, the future looks bright for the Green Lions.