St Martin’s 1, St Paul’s 0
JERSEY Combination League leaders St Paul’s must be still scratching their heads today, questioning how they were dumped out of the Jeremie Cup by St Martin’s on Saturday. It was a case of daylight robbery as the full-strength Jersey side failed to convert a string of chances and were punished as the Guernsey team converted their one real chance with the game heading for extra time.
Blocklayer and ex-Worthing player Jason Winch was the matchwinner with a superbly taken individual goal in the dying minutes.
He latched on to a hopeful long ball from inspirational skipper Kevin Graham and skilfully weaved past two defenders before clinically finishing with a low shot past young Andrew Bird.
It sent jubilant Saints marching into the semi-finals.
‘I have been waiting a couple of games to play up front and it felt pretty good - we thoroughly deserved it in the second half,’ Winch said.
‘It was a good team effort and there is a good team spirit in there,’ said the player, who under-rated his goal at six out of 10.
St Paul’s headed to Blanche Pierre Lane unbeaten, with an average age of just 23 and boosted by six quality close-season signings and a handful of island players in their ranks.
The dangerous Craig Leitch had the ball in the net after just two minutes but it was ruled out for offside.
At the other end, Bird tipped over long-range efforts from Winch and Charlie Pinsard.
Dominic Heaume uncharacteristically almost headed the ball into his own net from a St Paul’s corner but the near post saved his embarrassment.
Both sides were fully committed in a typical inter-insular clash and their benches were clearly perplexed by some of the officials’ decisions. Early in the second half Nathan Pattimore pulled off a brilliant point-blank reflex save to deny Craig Russell.
Then Leitch just failed to apply the finishing touch to a deep Mark Lucas cross to the back post.
St Paul’s dominated the opening 20 minutes of the half but lacked the killer punch their creativity perhaps deserved.
They had valid appeals for a penalty waved away when Jordan Docherty appeared to be upended in the box at the clubhouse end.
But as chances went begging they began to panic momentarily when Saints mustered their way back into the game for a share of the spoils.
Pattimore was again Saints’ saviour after Dave Le Roux had released Leitch one on one with him but he blocked the goalbound shot well.
It was after a triple substitution with St Paul’s looking to grab the winner that Saints went to the other end and dented their plans.
Heaume almost doubled the lead near the end but Bird tipped his shot over.
Saints coach Colin Fallaize, who resembled the bionic man after his latest replacement surgery, said: ‘We are well made up.
‘You have to be happy with the way we shaped up and it was a very pleasing result against a good side. I think both sides shaped up very well and we competed well with them, although we did not have composure at times.
‘I think we can play better but not work harder,’ said Big Fall.
‘I keep emphasising that the more games you play shows the more successful you are becoming. The side that plays the most games in a season has been the most successful and we have got another game.’
St Paul’s coach Craig Culkin, who was on Celtic’s books with Saints’ ex-star Kevin Gilligan, was magnanimous in defeat.
‘One chance on goal. I said to the boys they have had enough chances to win three games of football there today. I think they [St Martin’s] will be sitting in there thinking they were quite fortunate. It’s just the end product, which is not like us because we are normally more clinical.
‘But if you don’t take your chances, you don’t win games of football and we only have ourselves to blame,’ he admitted.
‘The referee was consistent in his decisions.
‘We have three games this week and the boys have been told the game against Jersey Scottish on Tuesday night is the priority,’ said Culkin.
‘I wish St Martin’s all the best.’
Article posted on 22nd October, 2007 - 12.00am
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