Island players Scott Bradford of Bels, left, and St Martin’s Ben Coulter challenge for the ball last night at the Corbet Field. (Picture by Tom Tardif, 0751023)
St Martin’s 1, Bels 1 (a.e.t. Bels win 7-6 on penalties)
MICKY OGIER had a cheer up last night.
The Bels manager was at a low ebb earlier in the week when only nine of his players turned up to training on Monday evening and he admitted that he would be ‘surprised if we get anything out of the CI Champions League final’.
But Bels turned out in force for their manager as they overcame the much fancied St Martin’s, albeit after extra time and penalties.
‘It’s about time we had a bit of luck,’ said Ogier, after the game at the Corbet Field.
‘I was a bit disappointed on Monday night, but I can’t fault the effort from them tonight. I thought we were the better side in the first half and they were better in the second, but we dominated in extra time.’
Bels captain Sam Cochrane, clearly delighted with having picked up his team’s first silverware of the year, refuted any suggestions that the poor turnout at training reflected any problems at the club.
‘Our squad has been thinner than it has been in previous years,’ he said.
‘There were a few people playing in the under-21s and some were working. We were a bit stuck.’
Bels took the lead after 10 minutes when Simon Marley hooked in a ball that was bouncing around the box like a pinball.
The Blues pretty much controlled the rest of the half.
However, forward Luke Winch did create some sweaty moments for the Bels defence, but without their cup- tied striker Marc McGrath, Saints lacked that killer edge up front.
In the second half it was the black-and-whites who were now in ascendancy as their island midfielder, and captain on the night, Ben Coulter, began to really put his stamp on the proceedings.
Nearly 10 minutes after the break, the Blanche Pierre Lane club equalised at a corner.
Dom Heaume got his head onto the cross only to watch the ball bounce off the far post. It then pinged back onto the same upright from the sea of heads around the six-yard box but Chris Le Noury was on hand to bundle it across the line.
It was redemption for the midfielder, who had an absolute shocker of a miss a couple of minutes earlier.
The match had been tetchy from the kick-off and it ramped up a notch as referee Colin Wherry was not shy in showing yellow cards as a few nasty challenges flew in.
The worst one of the game belonged to Bels’ veteran defender Leighton Chainey, who had cynically scythed down Winch and was lucky not to see red.
There were no surprises when come the final whistle, the scores were level and extra time was needed.
Bels’ stock rose again during the added 30 minutes and they had the best chance when Chris King had a header from close in, but the substitute defender wasted his golden opportunity.
So penalties were required to decide the outcome and, with the scores at 6-6, young Robbie Williams stepped up and slotted the seventh for Bels.
There always has to be a person who misses and that was Ben Hunter, who could only blast the ball over the bar in frustration after Bels keeper Rhys Gower pushed away the Saints stalwart’s effort.
This will not be the last time the two teams meet on the pitch this season.
They are now due to face each other in the final of the Crimestoppers FA Cup at Foote’s Lane a week today.
Saints boss Colin Fallaize looked like he had had the wind taken out of his sails following the match, but he denied he would have a problem motivating his players for next week.
‘They shouldn’t need lifting – it’s another cup final,’ he said.
‘It was a hard game to lose on penalties, but football always throws that scenario up and we’ve got to take it on our chins.’
Article posted on 2nd April, 2009 - 2.30pm
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