PHEW... RELIEF AT PRECIOUS WIN

The Garenne Stand were certainly kept on the edge of their seats by an outstanding, fluctuating game under the lights.

‘It wasn’t quite heart-attack stage,’ said coach Jordan Reynolds, but he admitted afterwards that it was too close for comfort.

‘It was pretty tight at half-time, but I wasn’t too worried because we had a lot of control and the forwards raised their game in the second half.

‘Amersham were outstanding for the enthusiasm at the breakdown, but it was a massive win for us.’

The coach also praised his backline. ‘They were outstanding.'

'We have been hinting at them playing well of late and it was dry today, which is what I have been waiting for to see how they would go in those conditions, and there was just so much pace on the ball. We always looked a threat.'

Yet, despite the quality on show from the hosts, the score-line truly reflects the nature of a closely-fought, intense contest.

Playing with the aid of the bitterly cold wind, Guernsey had early chances to take the lead but Glen Walters was unable to take advantage of a couple of lengthy penalty kicks which both drifted wide of the posts.

There was, meanwhile, massive irony, that Layton Batiste should open the scoring.

The try came in the 15th with the chance and prop Batiste, the man at the centre of the points deduction row earlier in the season, bulldozed over.

Walters added the extras.

A&C, though, hit back quickly through an unconverted Matt Gilbert try, although what appeared to be a blatant knock on.

A&C then went ahead with a converted try, but we were looking dangerous every time the backs had the ball and soon afterwards Matt Hema went over.

The hosts fell behind again 10 minutes before the interval as Thompson knocked over a simple penalty, but the home side finished the half the stronger with Simi Sawene and Dave Davison both coming close to scoring before Walters ensured the sides turned at 15-15 with the final penalty of the period.

The visitors retook the lead soon after the turnaround with Thompson slotting over a 46th minute penalty and they looked set to add another try to their tally just two minutes later until they were penalised correctly for crossing just a couple of metres in front of the posts.

Not only did that let Guernsey off the hook in that moment, but it also swung the momentum of the match and for the last half-hour the green-and-whites were undoubtedly the better side.

The decisive score came early in that period of dominance with the move originating on the right wing where Luke Sayer made good yardage before Barnes upped the ante with a clever quick tap that put A&C right on the back foot.

Sensing their chance, Guernsey quickly moved the ball across the field with both Batiste brothers involved before Jason spun the ball to replacement Greg Smith, making his first appearance since September after a long-term injury, and he dived over in the corner.

A two-point advantage was far from the comfortable margin Reynolds would have liked, but his side managed to stand firm for the rest of the game.

'In the second half we lifted it, particularly in our defence and there were some great hits, and it turned the corner for us,’ said a joyous winning coach later.

'But they deserved to get their bonus point. Not too many teams would play at that intensity for a whole game in this league.'