Alex Le Prevost is all over the back of James Coquelin during Saturday’s Grand Fort Road derby at Northfield. (Picture by Tom Tardif, 0693374)
NORTH jumped to five points clear at the top of Division One on Saturday with a 3-0 win over Vale Rec.
In a largely uninspiring affair on a muddy Northfield pitch, the hosts’ goals came courtesy of Glyn Dyer, with two, and Jon Loaring.
‘Three points and we’re still top – that was our aim today,’ said North boss Mick Le Prevost.
‘The pitch didn’t help both sets of players and at the end of the game it was a battle. But we always looked quite comfortable.
‘It was a funny game, but you get that in football. The fluent football wasn’t there as you couldn’t do that today.’
The result now sees the chocolate-and-blues, who last won the title the season before last, on 25 points after 10 matches.
Reigning champions Bels are on 20 points, but have a game in hand.
Le Prevost is refusing to talk up his side’s title chances.
‘We’re taking each game as it comes,’ he said.
‘Win every game, you win the league but there’s a long way to go. A lot of people outside the club are saying that we’re going to win it but like I say to them, we’ll take each game as it comes and see where we are.’
In the weekend’s other Division One fixtures, St Martin’s lost 2-0 at home to Rangers while Sylvans got the better of Rovers 4-2 at St Peter’s.
The result at Blanche Pierre Lane sees the red-and-blacks move six points ahead of Saints and take a hold on the third Wheway Cup place.
Rangers coach Paul Ockleford, who saw his son Piers hit a goal of the season contender, was delighted afterwards.
‘We were nice and solid and that winning goal was a cracker, so I am really pleased for the club,’ he said.
Opposite number Glyn Smith described his side’s second-half performance as ‘woeful’.
‘We have got some big name players and although you don’t rely totally on them, when the going gets tough you are looking for them to create something, which just didn’t happen,’ he said.
‘Realistically, now we have got to look at a Wheway Cup spot and the Jeremie Cup, which we are in the final of. Those are our two goals and we have to get the players motivated to achieve them.’
Reports Page 42
Article posted on 22nd December, 2008 - 2.30pm
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