This Is Guernsey

By Aaron Scoone

Jersey midfielder Michael Weir looks for a pass with Kieron Mahon watching him closely. (0557503)

Guernsey 2, Jersey 3
GUERNSEY failed in their bid to retain the Junior Muratti after they had totally dominated Jersey in the opening stages of yesterday’s big match at The Track.

The home side had gone a goal up within 20 minutes of the start through Sylvans striker Wayne Bishop, but saw the Reds equalise and then take the lead. Guernsey levelled the score at 2-2 in the second half, only for the visitors to grab the lead again – and the victory.

‘A little bit disappointed after the way we showed that we can play in the first 25 minutes – we dominated play,’ said Guernsey’s assistant coach Chris du Feu.

‘We played the way we asked them to play. I can’t think of the exact moment, but the game changed and they were on the front foot.

‘But I’m very proud of the performance and the effort levels. There’s no one in that changing room who could say they are disappointed with the way they played.

‘We showed that we have potential to have won that game, but on the day I think they deserved it. They used the ball a bit better than us.’

Greens’ captain Miles Pengelley was clearly very disappointed with the result.

‘We failed to put the ball in the back of the net,’ said the North defender.

‘We had more chances going forward than them and for the first 25 minutes we were all over them. Then we stepped off the gas.

‘They had four chances and took three of them and that was all they needed, unfortunately.’

From the kick-off the Sarnians looked the sharper team and had four good chances before they got the opening goal through Bishop in the 17th minute.

The burly Sylvans striker, who is not shy of getting stuck in, broke free of his marker to slip the ball coolly past out-rushing Jersey keeper Max Jouan and into the empty net.

But then, against the run of play, the Reds themselves got a goal when slippery winger Jay Reid put a low cross into the six-yard area for striker Declan Sowney to get there first ahead of Scott Rowe to touch it in at the near post.

The Guernsey keeper possibly should have done better.

Then, 10 minutes before half-time and seemingly from out of nowhere, St Paul’s forward Sowney beat the defensive line to roll the ball in past Rowe.

Again, there was a question of goalkeeper error.

The Sarnians came out for the second half in a determined frame of mind.

They had the rub of the green and got a deserved equaliser minutes after the hour mark through winger Matt Loaring, who was his team’s best player.

The hat-trick hero from Guernsey’s 4-3 victory last year played a delightful one-two with Bishop before beating three would-be Jersey tacklers to slot the ball home.

It was surely one of the finest goals ever to grace a Junior Muratti.

But again, the home side took their eye off the ball as Sowney completed his hat-trick in the 80th minute of play.

After skinning substitute Guernsey defender Jack Domaille, Reid found the forward with a quality cross that was headed in with no problem.

With time ticking, Guernsey went all out in attack and came close in the third minute of added time when Loaring sent the ball tantalisingly across the goal, but James Mullen could not quite reach it with a desperate lunge at the back post.

The final whistle went shortly afterwards, much to the delight of the visiting players and supporters.

‘I’m delighted with the boys,’ said Jersey coach David Walsh.

‘I felt Guernsey started better than we did and we had an awful job living with them. But we slowly got back into the match and we played our game.

‘Overall it was a tremendous team performance and, as a team, they’ve hard worked this year.’

The man of the match award was given to Jersey captain Jack Boyle.

The defensive midfielder was the best player on the pitch.

He had so much time on the ball and was integral in everything his side did.

‘I thought four or five players deserved it – Declan Sowney, Michael Weir, Jay Reid and Guernsey’s number eight [Kieran Mahon],’ he said.

‘To be honest, I’m just delighted to win, especially in Guernsey. I thought we deserved it because we’ve worked hard in training.

‘They are a good side but we just edged them.’

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Article posted on 31st March, 2008 - 2.30pm