But it wasn’t to be and despite a monumental effort from the boys the loss left us in the lower reaches of the table and no closer to pushing for one of those key promotion spots.

Jordan Reynolds remains critical of the visiting referee who he felt awarded the visitors too many penalties, while also considered his team did more than enough to win the game.

‘In attack we created so many opportunities. It really clicked. If in the first half our defence was more solid we would have won.’

A big Garenne Stand of several hundred were treated to a thrilling game, which was particularly open in the first period which ended with the visitors 24-16 ahead.

Guernsey should feel they could have won, but they made some basic handling errors and were guilty of some poor tackling in the opening period.

The omens looked black for Guernsey when the powerful front rower Loma Kivalu powered over after just two minutes, a score converted by Brad Cook who was not to miss all afternoon.

Three Sam Whitehead penalties put Guernsey 9-7 ahead midway through the half and with the visiting scrum half receiving a yellow for the offence which led to the penalty (a deliberate trip on Glen Walters who was clear) the crowd had reason to expect a dominant 10 minutes for the home team and more points.

They got points alright, but all at the other end.

Jesse Rush dashed over for a second converted try and Bury St Edmunds were 14-9 up by the time Scott Lewis returned.

Shane Taylor then surged over after a terrific break from Luke Sayer at the end of some a fluent passing move and with Whitehead converting Guernsey were 16-14 up with half an hour played.

Cook then added his own penalty to regain the lead and with half-time whistle not far away winger Chris Snelling cut in off the left flank and too easily broke through a couple of poor tackle attempts to score the visitors’ third try.

The second period was an altogether tighter affair with neither side managing to reproduce their flowing attacks of the first 40.

Whitehead reduced the deficit to five with a 30m penalty and then Darrin Bellingham barged over for a converted try which gave us a 26-24 lead with 22min. remaining.

The lead did not last long though.

Cook slotted home another penalty and then added another to make the gap four points.

Guernsey, who lost Jason Batiste to a head injury, pushed hard but for the decisive score and with the match deep into stoppage time they were within five metres of the Bury line.

But resolute defending kept them out and the final whistle went when possession was lost.

Despite the result Jordan’s team are clearly once again moving in the right direction performance wise and with more key players due to return then the coming months should bring a climb up the table.