North 0, Bels 1
MICKY OGIER believes things are starting to stack in Bels’ favour. The blue-and-whites coach saw his team join North at the top of the Priaulx League on Friday night thanks to Matt Drillot’s towering header and then emphasised that they are the club with the momentum at present.
‘We have won the last few games and we have got players back as well,’ Ogier said.
‘We have Crusher [Marc McGrath] and Cleggy [Neil Clegg] playing again and Billy Page and Paul Ramsden should be back within the next couple of weeks, so that’s a bonus.
‘The squad is looking healthy again and the players will be fighting for places - no one is guaranteed to play.’
On the evidence of Friday, though, it will be a while before the back four are dropped as well as the match winner, who was once again a driving force in midfield.
The fact that Bels scored only once in a first half that they dominated was a point of frustration for Ogier, but he was pleased that his outfield players ensured that Rhys Gower hardly had a save to make.
The visitors could have opened the scoring in the opening 20 seconds at Northfield, but both strikers missed Dave Rihoy’s cut-back from the byline before Simon Marley’s miscued shot was deflected wide.
Although Bels remained on top, there was a lack of scoring opportunities before the goal arrived on 25min.
McGrath’s persistence won a corner and he delivered the right-wing set piece into the six-yard box where an unchallenged Drillot attacked the ball with typical forcefulness and planted it firmly into the net as the chocolate-and-blues resembled statues.
The hosts then lost Gavin Le Page to a knee injury picked up five minutes earlier which he was unable to run off and it upset their balance with Craig Young dropping back into midfield and Gareth Holden introduced up front.
Gower was called into action to come out and collect bravely at Jamie Ferbrache’s feet from Alex Le Prevost’s inviting a low cross shortly afterwards, but North created little else of note in the first 45.
On the other hand, Bels should have doubled their lead but McGrath totally missed his kick with his left foot with the goal at his mercy six yards out while Mark Laws saw a rasping drive from 20 yards turned away by Richard Davey.
North improved after the turnaround, but were found wanting in the final third of the pitch where they terribly missed a Simon Tostevin or AJ Saunders central-striking figure.
They should have been put out of their misery 15 minutes from time as Rihoy, on his well publicised return to Northfield, nipped in to intercept Paul Page’s soft header back towards Davey. But when the moment came to apply the coup de grace with the goal gaping, the island star fluffed his shot wide, much to the amusement of the home fans.
As time ran down, there were chances at both ends, with Clegg warming Davey’s hands with a sweet strike while Young lifted his left-foot volley over the bar in injury time.
Even after the final whistle things threatened to boil over with Stuart Polson none too amused by Clegg’s challenge on him as Brent Blondel blew for time, but the referee dealt with matters without fisticuffs starting.
‘We should have been two, maybe even three up at half-time,’ said Ogier, who was quick to praise his defence, especially the outstanding Swiss Pascal Grob and makeshift left back Joby Bourgaize.
‘Pascal is a bit of a character. He has come into the squad and he has put a little bit of something different into the team. He is good in the air and composed on the ball, as well as always being up for a laugh.
‘Joby has been terrific. I have pulled him from pillar to post this season - he has probably played in every position except goalkeeper and has never moaned, just got on with whatever I have asked of him and he has been excellent at left back for the last two games.’
Mick Le Prevost, who admitted that the early loss of Le Page had been a major blow, was quick to emphasise that the result was ‘not the end of the world’.
‘We are disappointed that we lost, but we worked hard and I thought in the second half we were the better team, although we did not create a lot of chances tonight,’ said the North coach.
‘It was just not to be today. It was a bad goal to give away, two of our guys lost their footing, and that one goal, one mistake, has cost us the game.
‘But we have only played nine games of 24 in the league this season and are level at the top. There is a long way to go yet.’
Article posted on 26th November, 2007 - 12.00am
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