This Is Guernsey

By Rob Batiste

Bels 2, St Martin’s 1

A GOAL of exquisite class from Marc McGrath, followed quickly by his lucky rebound from a saved penalty, deservedly won Bels the points at the Track and probably the Priaulx League title for the second time in three seasons. Saints’ gutsy efforts with a patched up side were, ultimately, not quite enough against a Bels outfit who might have had half-a-dozen on another day but were severely worried until McGrath’s marvellous 70th-minute strike put them on level terms.

Already without keeper Nathan Pattimore, Saints were dealt a major blow just before kick off when it became apparent that flu-ridden skipper Kevin Graham would not be around to marshal the defence.

It was a big blow, but for much of the game the black-and-whites made light of his absence, Luke Allen stepping into the centre of defence to partner Richard Herpe and using his vast experience to good effect on a windy day.

‘I’m pleased with our performance as we had to make changes right up until the last minute,’ said Colin Fallaize after the final whistle.

‘Fair play [to them], but that little bit of quality made the difference,’ he added.

With their personnel problems, Saints got the start they and the neutrals had hoped for.

After seven minutes young keeper Scott Rowe raced off his line as Dom Heaume cut into the box on the right and clipped the forward’s legs - penalty.

Rowe got a yellow card from the efficient Neil Lunn and Chris Mauger put his recent misses behind him to score to the keeper’s right, although Rowe did manage to get a glove on the ball.

It was the morale-boosting lift Saints needed and it gave added desire in a rearguard action against the strong wind and a Bels side seeing plenty of the ball.

Time and again Bels should have scored.

Paul Ramsden hit the woodwork twice, stand-in keeper Alex Hockey made some fine stops and there were one or two unbelievable misses.

But half-time arrived and Saints were still in front.

Yet it could have been worse for Bels.

On the brink of the break Charles Pinsard brushed off Joby Bourgaize on the edge of the box and, with just Rowe, to beat blazed horribly high.

Bels continued to pour forward after the break and it seemed they must score when Dave Rihoy skipped past Hockey and, from an acute angle, shot goalward.

Somehow, the ball stayed out and just short of the hour mark off came American Mark Laws to be replaced by Neil Clegg.

Immediately, Bels’ frontline looked more effective and elsewhere they got lucky, with Lunn missing a clear two-foot lunge by Sam Cochrane, who had already been yellow carded.

But Saints were dropping ever deeper and, with it, inviting even more pressure and making it increasingly tough on their battle-weary midfielders who had had to cover even more ground.

A goal just had to come, but when it did even Bels supporters were stunned by its quality.

A long ball from the right was allowed to drift beyond the far post and there was McGrath, 10 yards out to volley viciously high into the net at the near post.

The relief in the Bels section of a well popularised stand was palpable and within eight minutes they were crowing more.

Chris Le Noury, who had enjoyed one of one of his best games in a Saints shirt, was adjudged to have impeded McGrath as he cut in from the left of the penalty area and Lunn, always close at hand, awarded a penalty.

Hockey blocked McGrath’s spot-kick but the rebound fell kindly for the striker who lashed it in.

Saints were done for, but in one of the rare late attacks Chris Mauger swung a corner from the left onto the face of the Bels’ crossbar.

At the other end McGrath miscued a shot which would have brought him a hat-trick.