Saints’ Chris Mauger shields the ball in the 2007 Collins Cup final in which they beat Sylvans at the Track. (Picture by Steve Sarre, 0431701)
ST MARTIN’S are hoping that their month-long lay-off does not affect them when they take on St Ouen in the Collins Cup final at the Track today.
The last time the Priaulx runners-up played a competitive game was when they beat Jersey Wanderers in the semi-final of the competition on Saturday 5 April. ‘It’s been a bit of a lay-off,’ said Saints boss Colin Fallaize.
‘We’ve been going training but it’s been difficult as our pitch has been closed down for end-of-season repairs.’
For Saints, the negatives against playing the match are adding up. The team have not been in action for such a long time, it falls on Liberation Day and the cup is not what you would call a major one.
Despite those, Fallaize says the final is not a hindrance.
‘It is a bit late [in the season] but it doesn’t deter the fact that we’re keen to play this,’ he said.
‘We are up for it and we’re looking forward to it.’
Apart from their inspirational captain, Kevin Graham, who has played his final competitive game before retiring, Fallaize has a strong squad to call on.
Graham’s fellow Muratti starter Dom Heaume is available along with the likes of keeper Nathan Pattimore, Simon Geall, Liam Roffey, Jamie Dodd, Jason Winch, Chris Le Noury, Richard Herpe and Ben Coulter.
They have a job on their hands today as their opponents look to wrap up a great season.
St Ouen secured promotion to the Jersey top flight after they won the Coca-Cola Combination Division Two.
Their record over the year is played 32, won 24 and drew three with five losses.
Their top goalscorers are Jon Evans with 22 and Scott Quarrell with 15.
‘I think they’ve done fairly well,’ said Fallaize.
‘They’ve got a couple of fairly useful front men. They turned Vale Rec over but Vale Rec weren’t impressive – those were Phil Corbet’s words. The fact they are on a winning momentum points to the fact that they will be a good opposition.
‘Hopefully, the gap hasn’t left us too much off the mark.’
Fallaize’s opposite number Peter Flambard knows his team have a stiff challenge.
‘It’s a pain that the game is so late in the season because it’s been a long season having played our first game in the preliminary round of the Charity Cup on 6 August last year,’ he said.
‘But we’ve won a couple of cups and it would be fantastic to keep the momentum going.
‘We are four players short because of preplanned holidays but with a first-team squad of 18 to 20, most have played at some stage or other, so we will not be affected too much.
‘Recent senior matches between Jersey and Guernsey club sides playing in Guernsey have not been good and we’ll be looking to reverse that trend tomorrow. We know St Martin’s will be strong, but if we work hard like we did in our trial game against the Muratti squad last week, then we could spring a surprise. We certainly have players capable of causing them a problem or two.’
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