2-0 up at half time with first half strikes from Josh Wright and Mark Morgan this looked like another 3 points but the Boars got absolutely destroyed by their visitors in the second half with 5 unanswered goals, with some lackluster defending and decision making to put it mildly. Eversley had 4 out from last week with injuries taking their toll after last week victory in Guernsey but really can’t excuse the most of our team today who capitulated once WP were gifted their first goal on 50 mins after a mix up between Cooper and Dan Taylor.
WP showed why they won the league last season and took advantage of an inept showing by a lot of the Eversley players. The management couldn`t have emphasised enough that this musn`t be an ‘after the lord mayor’s show performance’…… unfortunately it was.

With top striker Matt Baker now out for the season and Hartley Wintney with games in hand getting promoted is going to be a tough ask. Time will tell whether other players can step up to the plate and rise to the challenge,

Team: Hatton, Cooper, D Taylor (Fisher), Kleboe, Morgan, Thomas, Reilly, S Taylor, Stamp, Wright, Cann

That it was on Saturday and not next season in the CCL Premier came as something of an unpalatable shock to large sections of the packed Garenne Stand who had convinced themselves that referee Brian Fish was an Eversley man in disguise.

Certainly, Mr Fish was public enemy No.1 long before his final whistle brought to a close a highly-eventful game watched by 1,310, having sent off Green Lions right back Jacques Isabelle, awarded the visitors a late penalty and, in their eyes, given the home side next to nothing.

But to pile the blame for a first home defeat on this Fish out of water – in the eyes of many – was perhaps wide of the mark.

The referee was definitely not the reason Guernsey FC lost this game and saw their lead at the top of Division One trimmed to four points.

Eversley were a decent side, solid at the back, organised and, in Matt Baker, have one of the league’s best finishers up front.

The big No. 10 might not be anywhere near as elusive and energetic as his Guernsey opposite number, but he proved a handful for the home back line and, by the end, had kept ground with Ross Allen at the top of the division’s scorers list, both men having helped themselves to a couple.

No, the Green Lions lost this one largely because they failed to adapt to the conditions and, with the notable exception of the admirable Ryan-Zico Black, by far GFC’s best player on the day, were shaken out of their usual confident approach by quality visitors.

Too many Guernsey players were off the boil.

But if one moment defined that it was not going to be the Lions’ day it came nine minutes after half-time with the home side having just fallen two goals behind.

A super counter-attack saw the chance for Dave Rihoy to head Guernsey back in the game from six yards out.

It seemed Guernsey must score as the cross from the left met his forehead fair and square. But instead of the net bulging the ball was brilliantly blocked and Eversley had escaped.

Rihoy had much earlier carved the game’s first chance, a 22-yarder that flew well over after six minutes.

Allen also twice went close in the opening quarter-of-an-hour and Rihoy had an effort kicked off the line by a covering defender after he had rounded the keeper who had put his side under pressure by smashing a low goal-kick into a teammate who failed to control and let the Bels man in on goal.

At that stage a Guernsey goal seemed inevitable, but 20 minutes in suddenly the home side lost shape, concentration, composure and their grip on the game.

For a few minutes Guernsey seemed incapable of finding a teammate from five yards, and on 26 minutes they fell behind, although there was a large slice of fortune for Eversley in how the goal materialised.

Isabelle stuck out a boot in an attempt to cut out a diagonal ball into the box, which only served to divert it back across the box to the predatory Baker who said thank you very much from eight yards out.

No need to panic, we all thought, and within a minute Allen was heading over from Matt Loaring’s looped cross which held up in the strong wind and confused both keeper and Allen who saw the ball bounce off the back of his head and over.

The half ended with Guernsey’s trademark corner routine, one that served them so successfully on their National Systems Cup run.

Rihoy met the low ball in from the right but this time he badly scuffed the shot.

The half-time feeling was that the Lions could surely not play as ineffectively again in the second half. A rousing team talk or a few flying cups would shake them out of their slumbers.

Alas no.

Just three minutes in, Eversley were two up.

Baker’s 35-yarder had Chris Tardif scrambling to his left to parry around for a corner from which the ball fell kindly to Alex Frostick and his close-range finish silenced the home crowd.

Immediately, Guernsey threw on Glyn Dyer for a strangely out-of-sorts Angus Mackay and the little man’s first touch was a glancing header that flew wide for a corner.

Heaume dropped into a deeper midfield role and Guernsey went four up top, throwing caution to the wind.

On 59min. Guernsey were back in it.

Allen, who had endured a frustrating first period when nothing stuck to his boot, went past three men as he hared down the left and cut into the box.

Before he could shoot, the Eversley skipper James Reeves brought him down and after the No. 5 had had received his yellow card for the foul, Allen lashed the penalty high into the net.

The springboard to recovery was celebrated wildly by the stand crowd panicked by the 0-2 scoreline, but no sooner had the cheering died down than the Lions chins were back on their chests.

Isabelle, who had been yellow carded for a clumsy challenge moments after Allen’s goal, cynically ended the run of an opponent and a second caution meant he was off.

It was totally the right decision but as excitement and frustration grew in the crowd, every decision by the referee was now being questioned as were the frequent breaks in play for injuries to the visitors.

When they could find momentum, the Lions poured forward but handicapped themselves by lacking the width, which should have been provided by the attacking armoury at their disposal.

All the while the Lions were increasingly susceptible to the counter-attack and on 89min., with the likelihood of several minutes of stoppage time to be added on, they conceded again.

Cochrane was adjudged to have clipped Mark Morgan just inside the box, and, although it seemed all too soft or a figment of the referee’s imagination, certainly as far as the stand were concerned, Mr Fish quickly pointed to the spot and Baker sent Tardif the wrong way from the spot.

Moments later the handheld electronic board went up with just six minutes to be added on, not the eight, nine or even 10 minutes many islanders expected.

Four of those added minutes had slipped by when Allen went on another of his trademark slaloms into the box and drove a low shot under keeper Richard Shelley: 3-2.

But there was no miracle escape and, to be honest, Guernsey did not deserve it.

Eversley were too solid to concede again and with tensions higher than we have seen all season at Footes Lane, the final whistle was blown by a distinctly unpopular Mr Fish.

A great night out followed as we painted the town yellow and blue for the evening! A few sore heads the following morning and Kleboe filled 4 airline sick bags on the flight home to complete a fabulous and historic trip.

Eversley: Shelley, Cooper, Morgan, Reeves (Jeffery (D Taylor for jeffery)), Frostwick, Thomas, Kleboe, S Taylor, Stamp, Baker (Fisher), Cann   Sub not used: Hayes

Staines started very brightly with the highly regarded attacking trio of George Baldock, Gary James, and Shane Rideout all starting for the home side. With a high tempo and some fierce tackles from both promostion hopefuls indictating early the importance of this result. Two excellent saves in the first 10 minutes by Eversley keeper Richard Shelley stopped Staines taking the lead as the Boars struggled to settle.

This was to prove vital as Eversley slowly grew in to the game and Clement adjusted his sides system to nulify the Lammas ‘quarter-back’ who was dominating posession. On 18 minutes Eversley broke and Marlon Day latched on to a Marc Kleboe knock down to fire an unstoppable shot low in to the corner and give Eversley the lead.

Two minutes later and a shell shocked Lammas were two down, the power and height of Kleboe and Matt Baker proving too much for the home side’s defence to handle. Baker flicked on a Sam Jeffery long throw and Kleboe rose high to nod home from 6 yards out. Staines fought back and again it was Shelley to the rescue denying both Rideout and James from what looked certain goals and send his side in 2-0 up at the break.

An eventful second half with Lammas flying out of the traps. This was going to be Shelley’s day though as he denied Lammas twice more in the opening 10 minutes. Just as it appeared Eversley had ridden the storm Bradley Cann saw red for the visitors as his fierce tackle in the middle of the park was deemed reckless enough for a straight red card. The Eversley bench were up in arms feeling the home side  player’s reaction suffficiently over the top to pressurise the referee when a yellow seemed the right decision.

Half an hour to go and the Lammas tails were up. On came the prolific Matt Baxter for Staines , Kleboe went in to a back three for Eversley and resumed his dominance in his best game for the Boars. The Eversley players needed to show their metal and they certainly stood up to the task battling with a desire and a commitment shown for the first time this season. At times it seemed Staines were the team down to ten men as they out worked and out fought Staines who became bereft of ideas and started to pump long balls that were gobbled up with some ease. Eversley proved they were still a goal threat themsleves with the tireless Ben Clarke making an excellent full debut, Day and Matt Stamp, all getting forward to support Baker on the counter.

On 75 minutes Eversley extended their lead. Stamp’s corner was flicked on by by Kleboe for Baker to smash home at the far post. Minutes before the end and remarkably it was 4! Marlon Day shared the man of the match spils with Shelley after a brillliant solo goal. Winning possession on the half way line Day bullied his way past two central defenders to role the ball in to the corner from just inside the box. Staines did manage a consolation in the dying seconds but it didn`t take the gloss off of a great performance.

In the absence of co manager Ian Savage, Clement challenged his players after the game to show the required commitment to kick on from here and challenge for a promotion place. Entertaining an in form Cobham this weekend (2pm kick off at Fox Lane) and then away to fellow promotion hopefuls Hartley Wintney on the 27^th December,  the next two games will show if the players have accepted the challenge.

Team: Shelley, Anderson, Jeffery, Cooper, Reeves, Day, Clarke, Kleboe, Stamp, Baker, Cann

Depsite taking a lead on 18th minutes after Matt Baker nodded home a cooper cross it was the viisitors who looked the more dangerous and they deservedly equalised 5 minutes later after the Boars failed to clear their lines. Just before half time Bookham took the lead as a lacklustre Eversley lacked energy, guile and desire for the fight.

A reshuffle at half time with Mark Morgan replacing Fisher immediately paid dividends as Morgan’s energy rubbed off on his team mates. On 55 minutes it was  two as Matt Baker slotted home a 20 yard free kick. Baker then completed his hatrick with a deft near post header this time Matt Stamp provided the ammunition. It was all Eversley now as Bookham hung on they very nearly caught the home side knapping on the break and Shelly pulled off a smart save.

But today was the Matt Baker show and he sealed victory comfortably slotting home after being put through to score his fourth and 10th goal in the last week. That makes it 24 goals in 17 appearances since joing the Boars.

There is no hiding from the fact though that today’s performamnce was well below par and a 100% improvement is required for next weeks crunch game away to third place Staines Lammas.

Team: Shelley, Cooper, Marshall (Stevens), L Evans, Reeves (D Taylor), Fisher (Morgan), Jeffery, Kleboe, Stamp, Baker, Cann

Bradley Cann then got in on the act after 25 minutes driving an unstoppable 25 yarder home. Marc Kleboe nearly got in on the act himself striking against the bar after great work from Nathan Thomas. Day remarkably made it 6 before the half time whistle with the goal of the game – a solo run and a great finish again giving the keeper no chance.

The second half was a little more even as the visitors regrouped and Richard Shelley in the Eversley goal pulled off two smart saves. But today was the Matt Baker show as he grabbed his 4th and the teams 7th on 75 minutes. The influential Cann riding two challenges to set Baker from just inside the box and Baker’s bullet was unstoppable. Marlon Day then completed his hat trick 10 minutes before the end to complete the scoring.

Team: Shelley, Jeffery, L Evans, Reeves, Cooper, Thomas (Marshall), Day (Morgan), Kleboe (Scully), Stamp, Baker, Cann

Nathan Thomas grabbed one back on half time with a sneaky back heel  but at 4-1 at half time the game was already over. Eversley regained some pride by dominating much of the second half and Mark Kleboe clipped a half volley home with 10 to go but it was mere consolation in probably Eversley’s worst display of the season. To complete this bad day at the office Thomas saw red for kicking the ball at the Spelthorne keeper. Eversley’s 3 red card in two weeks may well come back to haunt them with suspensions looming.

Team: Shelley, Jeffery, Morgan, Evans, Reeves, Moran (Kleboe), Rumbold, Day (Fisher), Thomas, Baker, Cann

Eversley lost there 9 match unbeaten run in a controversial and exciting encounter at Fox Lane. Warlingham themselves on a great run proved too organised and too strong for the Boars who were missing skipper James Reeves and the influential Bradley Cann. With in 5 minutes of the start top scorer Matt Baker had to be replaced after cricking his neck in the 1st minute of the game.

Warlingham flew out of the traps and dominated the opening half hour taking a 2-0 goal lead through Bugden and Richard White. Warlingham also missed a penalty given by the linesman who was a good 40 yards away from the play. Richard Shelley saved superbly in the Eversley goal.

After a management dressing down the Boars came out in the second half with more spirit and purpose in everything they did. Anton Small went close pulling an excellent save from the Wars keeper. The pressure was mounting but Warlingham still looked dangerous on the break. It was on such a break that Mark Morgan was adjudged to have handled the ball on the line . Penalty for Warlingham and a straight red for Morgan reducing Eversley to 10 men. Shelley again came to the rescue with another spot kick save - this time Dias being foiled.

Two very strange decisions from the referee and he 1st sent off John Gladwin from Warlingham and then Liam Fisher for Eversley. Both were late challenges and worthy of yellow cards at most but the man in the middle saw it differently now reducing the home side to 9 men.

Despite the numerical disadvantage Eversley were still on top with Sam Jeffery running the game from central midfield. The got theirjust reward at substitute Marc Kleboe was brought down in the box and Matt Stamp converted with 10 to go. Despite a couple of goal mouthscrambles Eversley couldn`t fashion an equaliser and next weeks visit to Spelthorne is now a must win if the Boars are to stay in contention at the top of the table.

Team: Shelley, Jeffery, Morgan, L Evans, Cooper, Moran, Day, Small (Kleboe), Stamp, Baker (Thomas), Scully (Fisher)