This Is Guernsey

By Rob Batiste

Vale Rec’s Jamie Gauvain tries to avoid Jamie Le Cheminant’s tackle. (Picture by Brian Green, 0541331)

SYLVANS may have opened a five-point gap at the top of Youth One with a crucial 2-0 win over nearest rivals Vale Rec, but their coach refuses to get excited about their position.

‘There is still a long way to go and I think we’ve got the hardest run-in,’ said Clive Bateman, after seeing his under-18s take the points with first-half goals at St Peter’s from Wayne Bishop and Matt Le Prevost.

‘We’ve still got Rec, Bels and North to play,’ the boss added and the first of those six-pointers is against Vale, again, at the Corbet Field tomorrow night.

Vale coach Andy Bougourd acknowledged the best team won at St Peter’s.

‘There’s no doubt about it,’ he said.

‘We didn’t have many positives to take from the game, but we’ve got a good chance to put that right on Thursday.

‘We failed to compete in a number of areas on the pitch.’

Bishop, 18 the day before, put Sylvans ahead after having chased down the ball, going past a defender and slotting home.

Before half-time Matt Le Prevost doubled their lead with a ‘peach from 25 yards’, said his coach.

‘We played the better football in the first half but the second was a bit scrappy.

‘But we got out of it what we wanted.

‘It was a good, solid, team performance. The back line was solid all game.’

Bougourd said the table might favour the westerners, but none of the top four should be discounted.

‘I still believe North [in fourth] will be looking at the table and thinking they’ve got a chance. It’s still a four-horse race as far as I’m concerned.’

Article posted on 27th February, 2008 - 2.29pm