This Is Guernsey

By Nick Mollet

A HOTBED of foreign talent is leading the race for this season’s Sunday Soccer League Division One title. OCS are building on the double success of winning last season’s Division Two championship and the SSL cup with five straight league wins.

And after preliminary and first round wins in the Fletcher Sports FA Cup, they face formidable opposition in Sylvans in the last 16 next month.

Based at the KGV, where they train several times a week, the team have worked hard on the training pitch and it is paying dividends on match days.

‘By virtue of being a foreign team of mostly Portuguese, French and Latvian players, it has created a fantastic team spirit,’ said player-coach Paulo Perestralo.

‘Team captain Amancio Correia has full confidence in his players as they are very committed and always give 110% when they are on the pitch,’ he said.

One Complete Solution Ltd manager Mike de Laune said it is great to support his staff and their friends by supporting the team.

‘They have done fantastically, especially as many of the players have to leave the island over the winter period for a three-month period due to the housing regulations and this has meant the team has been constantly changing,’ he said.

The side are enjoying the challenge of playing against some of the island’s better teams in the FA Cup and are hoping to show how good they are.

So far two OCS players, Roque Figueira and Nuno Figueira, have not been able to play in the competition as they have been banned after having been sent off in league games.

Hot on their heels in the league are Indian Cottage, whose side include the nucleus of the successful Division One champions The Bowl, who are yet to meet OCS.

They have won four of their first five games and drawn one against Sure Cable & Wireless and will be hoping for another win against Fermain at Beau Sejour tomorrow morning.

A last-gasp equaliser by Lee Gallienne, after goals from Danny Le Page and Matt Jennings earned them what could prove to be a valuable point in the 3-3 draw against Sure.

Promoted Sure C&W are enjoying a fine start to the season and could well be up there challenging for honours when they are decided.

Keith Robins’s inconsistent Ounsworth Decor Cosmos can beat anyone on their day and Mariners are finally beginning to show some winning form, despite having been depleted by injuries to key men.

In Division Two it looks like being a four-team race for the title - newcomers London House Dogs and Access Scaffolding and favourites Island Landscapes and Academy Cleaners.

Island Landscapes’ start to their second season has been a productive and rewarding one, with all their lads keen and fit, bar the odd niggle.

Helped by some useful new signings, they have secured five wins out of six in their hunt for promotion - the only blip being their 3-1 defeat against rivals Academy Cleaners on Sunday.

Their leading scorer is Andy Jackson with eight goals and Simon Jackson and Paul Marquand have six apiece.

Academy Cleaners have had a fruitful start with five wins and a draw.

They started on a high with a 5-2 win against Access and have been improving every game.

Boasting a much-strengthened squad with Craig Abbott and Andrew Cochrane excelling at the back, the central midfield combination of Jason Sarahs and former Monty’s star Steven Woods are proving a handful for all.

The speed and skill of Adam Hooper, Steve Martel and in-form Jamie Pang make them a potent strike force.

Martel, Sarahs and Pang were on target in their win last weekend.

Two top-of-the-table clashes take place tomorrow afternoon with Access playing Island Landscapes (VA) and London House Dogs facing Academy Cleaners (BS).

Goals from Neil Ogier, Alan Opie and Richard McKenzie gave London House a 3-2 victory against Earlswood and Opie and McKenzie were again on the score sheet in a 2-2 draw with fast improving new boys Elite Catering at the weekend.