This Is Guernsey

By Aaron Scoones

North 1, St Martin’s 4
BIG FAL’S supposed ‘hairdryer treatment’ obviously works and North will testify to it.

St Martin’s shock midweek defeat by Rangers allegedly provoked angry words from the Saints coach and his men duly responded as they pounded an under-strength North to reach the Jeremie Cup final where St Paul’s await.

Saints were woeful against a Ross Allen-inspired Rangers under the bright lights of Blanche Pierre Lane in the Stranger Cup last Wednesday. And one thing for certain is that their coach, Colin ‘Big Fal’ Fallaize, would have given them what-for afterwards.

It was a wholly different Saints that turned up at Northfield on Saturday afternoon to comfortably get the better of a North side missing nine regulars.

However, a reflective Fallaize was certainly unimpressed with the ‘hairdryer’ line of questioning after the victory and was more interested in talking about the match.

‘I thought it was a difficult game for North,’ he said.

‘They had a few out and we needed to take an opportunity out of the situation. We hit the bar five or six times which I guess is bad finishing.

‘We were competitive and we wanted to get into a final. I’m really chuffed about that. We caught them on a bad day and we fully deserved it.’

Rob Pickford put Saints in the lead in the very first minute when the striker got on the end of Chris Mauger’s rebounded shot.

But the home side hit back after 25 minutes through Ollie McKenzie who struck a beautiful curling shot from the corner of the area.

Saints came very close to taking the lead again just before half time when Marc McGrath’s first-time shot rattled the crossbar.

The attacker, who does run hot and cold, was having one of his good days and went on to hit the bar several times.

But he made no mistake the next time he found himself with a goal-scoring opportunity, 10 minutes into the second half.

Saints’ playmaker Dom Heaume fed McGrath in the box and he slotted it past North’s third-choice keeper Nick Ogier, who was playing instead of Steve Gibson and William Woodford, both away.

McGrath struck the woodwork once more when he delightfully chipped Ogier, but he hit the bar instead of finding the back of the net.

A couple of minutes later, the island’s leading goal scorer hit the horizontal again with a flick from a low cross and Ogier knew nothing about Mauger’s powerful follow-up, yet somehow he diverted it wide.

Saints were now having the run of the play against a North side that was missing stars Alex Le Prevost, Matt Loaring, Kieran Mahon and Michael Wilson, among others, and it was only a matter of time before they scored again.

This eventually happened with 15 minutes to go thanks to substitute Gez Overstall when he squeezed through North’s backline.

North’s aerial threat, that is the 6ft 5in. Simon Tostevin, had a diamond chance to get one back, but he could only gasp when his header was brilliantly headed off the line by Saints defender Simon Geall.

Saints wrapped up their top-notch day in the dying moments when their keeper Alex Hockey, who had had a good game, booted the ball up the field and veteran defender Stuart Polson, (who had come into the side for the match) misjudged his header and McGrath was on hand to this time successfully chip Ogier. This was just before he hit the crossbar yet another time.

It was a good game but, understandably, North boss Mick Le Prevost did not see it that way. He rued not having a full side.

‘But I still had a team out there that should have done better,’ he said.

‘For 60 minutes we played really well but then in the last 30, too many of our senior players dropped their heads.

‘I’ll be talking to those players at training on Monday. I knew it was going to be a hard game but I expected a little better from my players. You can’t argue with that.

‘The best team won. I wish St Martin’s all the best when they go over and play St Paul’s.’

The final is on Saturday 10 April.

Article posted on 2nd November, 2009 - 2.29pm