Guernsey 2, England Universities 3
RIGHT game, wrong result, but still the perfect warm-up for Sunday’s Muratti and a one-goal defeat should not be seen as a negative.
England Universities proved themselves to be ideal opponents and for the relative few who popped along to the Corbet Field last night they were treated to the best football seen on these shores this winter.
‘They were good weren’t they?’ emphasised Tony Vance after the final whistle.
Certainly to lose to this team was no disgrace as Jersey simply will be not as good as the side Guernseyman Steve Sharman brought along to complete the island’s competitive Muratti preparations.
They even had the son of an England great playing on the right wing. Jordan Barnes (pictured) may not carve out the professional career his father, John, did at Watford and Liverpool, but the student proved enjoyable to watch unless your name was Olly McKenzie, the island left back.
Guernsey even managed to score first, Craig Young’s superb glancing header on Dave Rihoy’s cross from the right giving the home side an unexpected 39th minute lead very much against the run of play.
The lead lasted just four minutes as David Syers drove in a beauty. And after the break, impressive England sub Adam Cunnington scored twice to take the game away from the home side who pluckily gave it their all to the end and were rewarded by a very late consolation second from Ben Coulter.
The mass of second-half rolling substitutions for both sides took some of the sting out of an entertaining game, but both managers were happy enough after the final whistle, as the small crowd should have been.
‘It was an excellent game and obviously we were able to use a number of permutations,’ said Vance, who used all 21 players in his squad by the end.
‘We got out what we wanted from the game, so it was the perfect preparation. Everybody’s fighting fit and raring to go.’
Nobody was more impressive on the home side than Bels’ Scott Bradford and he gave his Muratti selection chances a real lift.
Vance admitted the game had complicated his selection thoughts.
‘A few have put themselves in the shop window without doubt and given me a headache.’
Sharman, who in his playing days played with style at the back for the Vale Rec juniors before heading off to the UK, was thanked by Vance for bringing over such quality, sporting and committed opposition.
‘Happy to help’ was the basic message from the man who will be back in Guernsey at the weekend and cheering on the green-and-whites at the Track on Sunday.
‘We wanted to come and play football,’ said Sharman, pleased that his side had done just that.
‘When they come in with us we want them to have a touch on the ball and play.
‘It was great that it was a greasy surface which helped us spread the ball about. They were also well aware of the importance of the game as far as Guernsey were concerned.’
In the first half Barnes sparkled for England who played in the same colours as Jersey, but surely with more style and aplomb.
Marshalled superbly by skipper Tom Champion at the back, a young man who played 70 games for Barnet before quitting professional football for additional studies, they had Guernsey working their socks off with slick one-touch passing.
The only thing lacking for the visitors before the break was quality finishing and had they brought their shooting boots would have been a couple of goals to the good, at least, at the break.
That ruthless finishing touch was evident in the second half when big Cunnington came on and sunk the home side with a flashing header and a cracking 30-yard drive which gave Tom Le Tissier, who performed impressively for an hour, no chance.
Article posted on 28th April, 2009 - 2.30pm
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