BELS are kicking themselves for not winning their Wheway semi-final at Trinity. The Priaulx league leaders lost in a penalty shootout after the scores were tied two all after 90min. and 3-3 after extra time.
‘We should have beaten them,’ said Bels captain Leighton Chainey.
‘We had plenty of chances in the first half which didn’t fall for us. We know we should have won. Even with 10 men we were still the better side.’
Barry Beatson put the home side ahead in the first half before Neil Clegg equalised for the Sarnians.
The turning point in the game came early in the second half when Jersey referee Andy Legg sent off Marc McGrath. The Bels striker needlessly stamped on Lee Jones right in front of the Trinity bench.
Chainey said that had McGrath not been sent off he would have been ‘torn apart’ by the livid Trinity players. The match had been played in a good spirit up to that point.
‘He deserved to go and he apologised to the boys,’ said Chainey.
‘I thought the ref had a good game. He wasn’t biased. Normally when you go over there, they are biased to them. He was fair to both sides.’
With their extra man, Trinity went ahead for the second time through Ashley West only for Bels’ winger Dave Rihoy to level things to ensure extra time was needed.
American Mark Laws, who had come on as a substitute for Clegg, put Bels into the lead for the first time at 3-2 before Beatson found the back of the net again, this time with a bicycle kick.
In the shootout Trinity’s keeper James Keating was the hero as he saved Joby Bourgaize and Brent Marquand’s efforts to help his side win it 3-2.
Despite Saturday’s disappointment, Chainey says the mood in the Bels camp is upbeat and that there is still a lot to play for.
They are currently sat top of the Priaulx and are through to the semi-finals of the FA Cup and Jeremie.
‘We’re still in a few cups and we’ll take the next game as it comes,’ he said. Trinity play Rozel Rovers or St Paul’s in the Wheway final on 5 April.
Article posted on 29th January, 2008 - 12.00am
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