Kent County League goalkeeper Nicky Blue sinks to his knees as Guernsey players celebrate their third goal at the Corbet Field. (Picture by Adrian Miller, 0748703)
Guernsey League 6, Kent County League 0
SIX, but it could have been 10 under the lights at the Corbet Field.
The big ponderable is: has Guernsey found a Muratti Vase winning side just in the nick of time?
Ross Allen hit the umpteenth hat-trick of his goal-studded season, he might have scored six himself and such was the home side’s dominance it was no surprise to hear a Kent player quiz the referee a few minutes from the end: ‘How long to go ref?’
The inference was clear. They had had just about enough of chasing shadows and were well beaten. Hammered.
It’s difficult to recall a more impressive performance from a Guernsey side since the wonderful Island Games triumph of 2003.
Manager Tony Vance was naturally glad to hear such comments but, with Jersey on the horizon, was right to say: ‘the trick now is keeping it going’.
Guernsey were superb in just about every area.
Skipper Matt Warren has shed the pounds he needed to and was close to his best. Alongside, Ben Coulter was awesome.
Had the Caesareans had a spy in the crowd, he would have noted that Coulter is the overdrive to this new-look Guernsey side, who played at pace and, at the same time, with skill and passion.
The problem, though, is knowing just how poor the Kent County League were.
They were beaten in 16 minutes.
After just nine minutes Allen pulled the ball back across goal for Dave Rihoy to fire in the opener and Guernsey were on their way.
Seven minutes later Allen latched onto a super ball over the square Kent defence and the Ranger stayed clear of the chasing defenders before picking his spot at the near post with the outside of his right boot.
Guernsey grabbed a fine third on 34 minutes from Craig Young after fine interplay with Rihoy, who buzzed about all evening and only let himself down with some poor finishing. He could have had four or five himself.
Kent, who reached the semi-finals two System Cup competitions ago before losing to the Isle of Man, the eventual winners, hardly showed as an attacking force and it was not until late on that Jody Bisson was called on to make a couple of smart saves.
By then Allen had scored a superb fourth, taking the ball on his thigh and without breaking stride slamming a super finish into the corner, Rihoy chipped a fifth and Allen waltzed his way past the keeper and rolled in his third and Guernsey’s sixth as the visiting defence went AWOL.
‘It could have been 10 really,’ said Vance afterwards, the manager also revealing that he had watched the Kent side and knew they would play 3-5-2.
‘It’s very important [to watch the opposition] despite the costs involved and on this occasion it paid off.
‘The work rate of the side when they did and didn’t have the ball was fantastic.
‘I’m delighted and full credit to them – it was a fantastic performance.’
Guernsey don’t play again in the nationwide competition until next season, with a golden prize of representing England at European club competition the carrot.
Article posted on 30th March, 2009 - 2.30pm
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