This Is Guernsey

Bels 5, Rangers 0

BELS are oozing the confidence of champions elect. Rangers, well-organised and always liable to pose a threat through Jon Veron up front, can be tricky opponents for anyone, but the blue-and-whites saw them off with plenty to spare last night at the Track.

Mac Gallienne described the victors as ‘not a bad little team, eh?’ and then rightly sung the praises of Chris Parrott, who produced some sensational saves and certainly did not deserve to be on the wrong end of such a scoreline.

But it is hard stopping these Wanderers at present.

Marc McGrath continued his purple patch with a couple of goals and there was also a brace for the outstanding Scott Bradford, who on this display must be in the running for player of the season.

Dave Rihoy was the other Belgrave on the scoresheet and he, too, gave the spectators glimpses of his best form.

Even Micky Ogier took up the chance to be player-manager for the final 15 minutes and showed he can still ping passes with the best of them, although much to his chagrin neither McGrath or Rihoy accepted the golden opportunities he presented them.

Right from the off, it looked as if this was to be nothing other than a home banker.

Sam Cochrane hit the bar with a header after five minutes and moments later Parrott’s knee denied Rihoy what would have been arguably the goal of the season after some wonderful interplay down the right, later summed up by Ogier as ‘10 one-twos put together’.

Had Veron not taken far too heavy a first touch from Shane Billien’s through ball giving Rhys Gower the chance to gather, Rangers could have edged into a shock lead on half-an-hour, but as it was they hardly tested the home goalkeeper again.

On 34min. the officials did Parrott a huge injustice when they awarded a goal kick after he had pushed Brent Marquand’s header onto and over the bar, but from the resultant restart, Bels came straight back and Rihoy set up McGrath for the opening goal.

Just before the break, and after a superb double save from Parrott, the lead was doubled.

It seemed as if the Rangers goalkeeper had excelled himself once more as he acrobatically claimed Rob Williams’s cross high above his head diving backwards, but unfortunately the ball squirmed from his grasp as he thudded to the ground and Bradford, who started the move, was on hand to poke it home.

Williams was handed a start as both Neil Clegg and Mark Laws were ruled out through illness and he took his chance well.

‘He is a cracking player. He is a 100 per-center, works his heart out and full credit to him for his performance,’ Ogier said.

Twenty minutes after the turnaround, McGrath made it three with a low shot from the edge of the area as the defence stood off him after he had played a one-two with Williams.

Just four minutes later Bradford notched his second in very similar fashion.

Rihoy finally got his goal with quarter-of-an-hour remaining, completing a neat move involving Joby Bourgaize and McGrath with a first-time left foot shot from the middle of the penalty area.

‘In the first half we did not take our chances. We could have had three or four and, to be fair, they had a good chance as well,’ Ogier said.

His opposite number Gallienne reiterated that he feels his number one deserves more recognition.

‘My goalkeeper was absolutely brilliant,’ said the Rangers coach. ‘He has been outstanding all season.’

* SIMON TOSTEVIN scored his first Priaulx goals since his return from injury with a brace in North’s 6-0 home win over Rovers.

Jon Loaring, Jamie Ferbrache, Craig Young and Glyn Dyer got the others.