A late burst at Victoria Park lifted The Green Lions to third place and home advantage for their play-off semi-final against Horsham YM on 2 May.
The Green Lions ended Saturday afternoon at Victoria Park with a win that felt earned, and now they’ll get something extra to carry into the next round: home comforts.
For much of the match, the script didn’t look like it would swing. Lancing, already relegated, stayed stubborn and pressed with a freedom that can unsettle any side. Victoria Park remained quiet for long stretches, the goalless score holding until late.
Then the turning point came in the 78th minute. George Goubert, introduced as a substitute, cut in from the left and finished low into the bottom corner past Lancing goalkeeper Elliot Dailly. It was a moment of directness after a tense period, and it immediately changed the atmosphere on the pitch.
Matt Loaring doubled the lead ten minutes later, nodding home from close range after Sam Murray had flicked on Jamie Dodd’s long throw. The first goal had momentum; the second came from the same kind of attacking instinct—use the delivery, attack the space, and trust the follow-up.
In stoppage time, the partnership that created the second goal paid off again.. Dodd and Murray combined once more, and this time Dodd’s header found the net without needing anyone else to arrive at the right moment.. By then, the game had effectively opened up, but only after The Green Lions had been patient enough to wait for their chance.
The result mattered on two levels. It secured the three points, and it also capped a league campaign with GFC finishing third in the table. That position brings more than pride—it shaped the next stage of the season, where one match can decide momentum for weeks.
Now The Green Lions will host Horsham YM at Victoria Park in the play-off semi-final on Saturday 2 May.. Home advantage can be a simple advantage on paper, but it often plays out through small things: players knowing the feel of the ground, the crowd being able to lift intensity when legs tire, and the comfort of routines that travel can disrupt.
There’s also the psychological side of what they did on Saturday.. The match stayed difficult even after it became clear Lancing had little left to play for.. That’s the kind of reminder every play-off hopeful needs: teams without a clear route can still make you earn every yard.. The Green Lions will want to take that lesson forward without overthinking it—win when the moment comes, and don’t assume late goals will always arrive.
After the final whistle, the tone from the club was measured rather than euphoric.. The relief was there, but so was the acknowledgement that Lancing made it hard, largely by going man to man and challenging the Lions at close range.. The club’s focus, as expressed through its manager’s reflection, was straightforward: they deserved to win, but the immediate priority was finishing the league objective and turning that into a play-off run.
Steyning Town were crowned champions after beating Seaford Town 2-0. Still, for The Green Lions, the headline from Misryoum’s coverage is the direction of travel: they’ve done what they needed at the right time, and they’ve earned the chance to control the semi-final stage from Victoria Park.
With the calendar now turning toward 2 May, the questions shift from “Can they break teams down?” to “Can they keep doing it under semi-final pressure?” If they reproduce the late efficiency they showed against Lancing—especially the quality around long throws and cut-ins—they’ll enter the next match with both confidence and momentum.