Ramsgate - not quite the end of the world after all.

Expectations weren't exactly high on the way down to Ramsgate, a town most notable for being ignored by Chas and Dave in favour of a near neighbour a long, long time ago.

Most of the talk on the train was about nefarious activity, financial prudence and one man's noteworthy crusade to identify the finest watering holes for anyone venturing towards the so-called London Stadium in the next 9 months or so.

There was also talk of Guernsey's lost generation, 2 of whom were scoring in the Rawlinson Cup at the Track later in the day.

We arrived in Ramsgate to find the place seemingly closed, so to the ground we went. The Ramsgate clubhouse is becoming familiar but worth re-iterating that it's not too shabby at all, light and airy in fact. Main teabar is just outside, well before the turnstiles, where despite the staff being involved in some kind of epic soap opera (veggies turn away now) an early contender for 'bacon cheeseburger of the season' could be found.

Then into the ground itself to be delighted to discover that a number of the official attendance of 210 were playing hide and seek (OK it may have had something to do with the seize cents soixante quatre). Then the day started to go downhill.

Yes dear reader, the match kicked off.

We were truly dreadful in the first half. Kyle Smith was running his socks off up front but between him and Tardie there was what can be best described as a blancmange, such was the lack of shape and application. We were lucky to go in just 1 down at half time. Not just through the host's domination of play but their generosity in perhaps one of the feeblest penalties you will ever see (unless of course you are prone to the occasional nightmarish flashback of Pat Nevin and countless others).

The second half started in much the same vein. Ramsgate had a 'goal' disallowed for offside and goalmouth activity at the other end typically looked like this:

But things did improve. Changes were made, things improved and we found an attacking threat with the blancmange being replaced by players running and supporting each other. Chances were forged and we even scored. The chap at the top of the page, Robbie Legg, made a big impression when he was introduced and he was influential in the build up to Dom Heaume's goal. Still not a lot to him but he plays without fear at this level. The small tank previously known as Craig Young also stood out.

At the other end Chris Tardif was playing his usual blinder and he was being pretty well shielded by the defence in front of him.

Ultimately we were undone by one of those good old football cliches - a cruel deflection.

Ramsgate are one of the favourites to go up but, bearing in mind we were shockingly, nay appallingly, bad for long periods, they're possibly thinking they have a lot of work to do. Their
management team, the Sartorial Brothers, may well be banking on constantly being in the ear of the 'lino' as one of their key tactics for the season.

The second half revival meant there was an air of disappointment at the final whistle but looking at the performance over 90 minutes a draw would have been akin to nicking a point.

Still, not quite the doom and gloom some were anticipating        pre-match. If only that lost generation could be persuaded to ignore the charms of the goddess Breda and return to the fold....

Keep it Green

Allez les Verts!!

Back from the abyss....

... and for once I'm not referring to the Torteval.

With just a couple of days to go until the season kicks off I have to be honest and say feelings are a bit all over the place.

The only new faces this season are likely to be a couple of new drafts from Steve Sharman's under 11 squad (that's what they look like to an old git like me at any rate). Talismanic striker on holiday in the States so missing the first few games. Not sure why as the last time I looked the States was just a short drive from the airport and the ARS, but there we are. Guernsey football, well Channel Islands football as a whole really, is frankly in a bit of a mess.

If you're in the 'good enough for Step 3' camp I fear your expectations for the season may be a tad high. For me a good season would be mid-table obscurity for GFC and and a closing of the divide with the local game. I look at some of the names associated with GFC, some of the names associated with the GFA and some of the names associated with local clubs and I scratch my head trying to understand why heads can't be banged together to resolve this situation.

In the close season we've seen the odd suggestion here and there that UK based players will be required to go onwards and upwards. That is probably the case but from where I sit I would rather see any available funds going to compensating Guernsey based players (in other words players based in Guernsey by choice rather than only as part of a package to play for the club) first and see where that takes us. Despite what I say about low expectations Guernsey is producing talented footballers and who knows what might happen IF we can get a full strength squad over for the vast majority of away games.

Of course we could throw money at a few hired hands but that's the football equivalent of a Ponzi scheme and has seen the end of many clubs. Certainly not the Guernsey way and I can envisage Messrs le Tocq and St Pier, not to say that bastion of free speech the Press, having palpitations if the island was ever associated with such fast and loose financial practice.

Enough waffle. It all starts at 1pm on Saturday at Ramsgate, one of the pre-season favourites for the league title. All we can ask is that everyone gives of their best. Granted, that's a bit of a cliche but that's football (and another cliche). So strap yourself in for another rollercoaster ride and

Keep it Green.

Allez les Verts!!

ARS, Goal, Perspective

Been a while.

And, sad to say, I only saw the second half of the match against Whyteleafe. Looked like a fair degree of huffing and puffing but we held out when the visitors threw the kitchen sink. As for the winning goal, well I have to say I was bemused as to the delay ......................

ARS, Goal, Perspective

Been a while.

And, sad to say, I only saw the second half of the match against Whyteleafe. Looked like a fair degree of huffing and puffing but we held out when the visitors threw the kitchen sink. As for the winning goal, well I have to say I was bemused as to the delay in taking the throw in whilst they waited for Doddie to cross the pitch (given it was so late in the game). He was spot on with the throw though and the finish by Ross Allen was something to behold (go to ITV Channel Islands website for the best view).

The pitch at the ARS didn't look great. It seemed very bumpy in places but will,eventually, cease to be an issue when GFC gets it's own ground. Don't expect an announcement any time soon but it is being worked on.

We're top of the form table at the moment, which is fantastic, but we are a long way from assuring promotion. So let's try to keep things in perspective. For now.

Keep it Green

Allez les Verts!!

Hot Flush

First off Happy New Year from Ormering Towers where we've been battling our way through a big batch of grog with a rapidly approaching best before date (nothing but the cheap stuff for us), hence the lack of activity of late.

Since we last made your acquaintance we witnessed a game of two halves down in Reigate. 3-1 down to South Park with half an hour gone we were haunted by thoughts of hammerings past. The midfield was struggling to adjust to the absence of Messrs Fernandez and Black. The defence got nostalgic in its approach to set pieces. The normally point saving Chris Tardif was having a bit of a stinker and Robbie Legg was miscast as the lone frontman, tasked with holding the ball up whilst waiting for the obvious candidate to get forward in support. Credit is due to Robbie for not letting his head drop after what must have been a torrid 45 minutes for a young player still finding his feet at this level - another sign of a good future perhaps.

In short, it wasn't great but the lads did well to make it to the break without further damage and things certainly changed in the second half. With Ross leading the line and Robbie skipping down the wing supplying plenty of ammo the whole team clicked into life and before we knew it we were in the lead. At the end a draw was, perhaps (grudgingly), a fair result.

And so it was that we entered 2016 in, what not too long ago seemed an unlikely, 3rd place in the league looking forward to the visit of the Wasps from football hotbed East Grinstead to the ARS.

As it happened this was another game of two halves, although this time it was down to a swirling wind. Well in charge in the first half, with wind in our favour, it could/should have been more comfortable than a 2 goal advantage at the break.

Things got a little squeaky in the second half, particularly after the visitors got a goal back from the spot and you have to wonder if we would have come away with 3 points against stronger opposition. But 3 points it was, thank you very much, with Craig Young capping off another hard working performance with a fine third goal in injury time.

The highlight though was undoubtedly Jacques Isabelle cocking his trigger to score a belter of goal in the first half. A moment that triggered a myriad hot flushes throughout the Garenne Stand. Mother Ormer is, we understand, still having palpitations.

So two games of two halves and, on balance, two good results.

The players and coaches have done a very good job in turning things round from what, let's face it, was a pretty low point. If we had any of that cut price grog left we'd be raising a glass to them, fingers crossed we can do that in Tolworth on Saturday.

Keep it Green

Allez les Verts!!