This Is Guernsey

By Rob Batiste

Blane Queripel scored the winner at St Peter’s. (Picture by Andrew Le Poidevin, 0503611)

Sylvans 2, Vale Rec 1
SEVEN points out of nine in the space of eight days – oddly all three games against improving Vale Rec – have kept Sylvans in the chase for a top-three finish.

But they had to come from a goal down to win this one at St Peter’s where centre backs stole the show and Sylvans welcomed back former Portsmouth pro Michael Wilson to the heart of their defence.

Blane Queripel won the game for the westerners with a close-range prod on 77min., only six minutes after having come on as a sub and on the eve of flying off for arguably the highlight of his sporting career to date – 10 days in Mumbai with the European Cricket Academy.

The versatile Queripel will find it a darn side harder to get out batsmen on Indian’s flat wickets than he did scoring on his home football park with the goal gaping from five yards.

After Jan Renouf had flicked on Tom Strawbridge’s long throw into the heart of the six-yard box, Queripel had only to be in the right place and stick out a leg to score.

Sylvans were, in the end, worthy of the points, even though they had come into the game without skipper Matt Warren (away), Tom Duff (retired), Kris Moherndl (suspended) and Naro Zimmerman (injured), not to mention their university contingent.

But Martyn de Garis’s men still had enough know-how to dominate a determined Vale side who were competitive everywhere but attack where they remain utterly weak.

While Wilson hardly looked as if he had been away from the game, alongside him young Strawbridge gave another superb performance, which earmarks him for a fine future at senior island level.

At the other end of the park Renouf showed just what a good target man he can be and were his fitness levels a shade higher, a Muratti recall would not be out of the question.

In the first period he won everything in the air and, with his flick-ons and ability to hold the ball up, was the best player on show.

In the second period he was not nearly as dominant as he ran out of steam and the excellent Neil Sarahs largely took care of him, but there was still enough about him to set up the winner.

Vale had taken a 20th-minute advantage.

Mark Ramsden’s free kick from out on the right tempted Paul de Garis to come out to collect, but painfully for Sylvans his one-handed palm fell straight at the feet of Lee Ogier and the Vale forward struck a well timed half-volley into the roof of the net.

Robbie Titterington wasted a fine chance and Ogier’s firm left-footed strike nearly beat de Garis at the near post, but three minutes before the scheduled end of the first period, Sylvans luckily equalised.

Good work by Ewen Beacom freed Tristan Robilliard wide on the left, but there was nothing dangerous about his low cross into the near post in front of the clubhouse until Sarahs nipped in front of his keeper and managed to slice an attempted clearance into his own net.

Oddly, referee George Jennings blew for half-time with just 43min. and 35sec. played.

With the slope on their side after the break, Sylvans were comfortably the better side and the hard-working Tom Stanley had already hit the post and Renouf lobbed into Bisson’s hands just a few minutes before Queripel’s winner.

In contrast to the first half, Jennings played the full second 45 and after four minutes of stoppage time blew for a second Sylvans triumph over Vale in successive Saturdays.