MARTYN DE GARIS believes his side last night lost to the champions elect. ‘They played really well and I think they will go on to win the league,’ was the Sylvans coach’s assessment of Bels at the Track.
His opposite number Micky Ogier was quick to play down de Garis’ claim - ‘there’s loads of time to go yet,’ he insisted - but he was also very happy with his team’s performance and rightly so.
In slick conditions that suited the hosts down to the ground, Bels oozed confidence and zipped the ball around with panache, creating chance after chance.
Had it not been for another brilliant display from Paul de Garis between the sticks, Sylvans could have lost by a rugby score.
As it was, Bels settled for four excellent goals, spread evenly either side of half-time.
Scott Bradford opened the scoring after just six minutes with a sublime left-foot strike from the edge of the area, which flew in via the underside of the crossbar.
There followed opportunities for both sides with de Garis and Rhys Gower both making important saves, although the former was by far the busier as Simon Marley, Marc McGrath and Dave Rihoy were all denied by the Sylvans number one.
The visitors’ best chances fell to youth striker Wayne Bishop, but he found his match in the competent Gower.
It was not until the 32nd minute that de Garis was beaten again and it was by a rare headed goal for Rihoy, who arrived in the box to nod home a right-wing cross.
The best of the Bels’ bunch, though, came after the break.
On 53min. Joby Bourgaize, again featuring at left back, cut inside onto his right foot and left fly with a 30-yard screamer that fizzed into the top corner giving de Garis no chance.
Jan Renouf made his return to Sylvans colours as came off the bench for the final 20min. but the half was all about the home side.
Matt Drillot and Bradford were left wondering how they failed to add to the tally as de Garis pulled off two more blinding stops, although substitute Neil Clegg did manage to sneak a shot past him to complete the scoring from Sam Cochrane’s pinpoint pass.
‘You cannot play football in the air and we have got people all around the park who can pass the ball,’ Ogier said.
‘We should have scored more, but as long as we are creating chances you cannot complain.
‘What is nice for me is that - after winning the league we went through last year struggling for players and having difficulty putting out a strong team on a regular basis - we are now getting back to a full squad. The players can either put in a performance and train properly, or they run the risk of being on the bench.’
De Garis’ assessment of the 90 minutes was simply, ‘we had about five chances, they had about 55′.
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