St Martin’s 5, Tiger City 1

TIGER CITY’S cup dream is over. But they enjoyed it while it lasted. St Martin’s proved too strong for Rob Dover’s side at a wet and windy Blanche Pierre Lane, but those who braved the conditions to see it recognised that those in blue did their historic Sunday Soccer League club proud.

As Saints coach Colin Fallaize put it afterwards: ‘We are chuffed to get to the final, and pleased to have shared this semi-final with Tiger City.

‘I feel it was a shame for them that the conditions were not better because a few of their lads can play.’

Playing with the elements at their backs in the first half, Saints opened up a 2-0 half-time lead through Nick Edmunds’s brace.

However, they produced their better football after the turnaround in the knowledge that they had to keep the ball on the deck.

They made the game safe with two goals inside a minute halfway through the second 45. Sam Rowe and Ross Yeates were the scorers, Chris Mauger the provider.

The impressive Jonathan Jenkins then got the goal he and Tiger City deserved with a cross-shot that flew past Nathan Pattimore and thudded off the inside of the far post into the net.

But Dom Heaume had the final say with five minutes remaining with a thunderous left-foot strike from 15 yards.

Tiger keeper Neil Jarvis kept it down to five with a string of fine saves.

Dover felt that his side showed a little inexperience against exalted company.

‘For some of our players, the big occasion maybe just got to them. This is a bit different to playing in front of four guys and a dog on a Sunday,’ he said.

‘But this means a lot to us and to get this far sets us up financially for this year and next as well probably, which is good for the club.

‘It was also nice to see some old Tiger City faces here tonight watching.’

Dover revealed that the aim was to hold Saints in the first half and turn around on level terms.

He acknowledged that the Priaulx outfit would be more suited to the second-half conditions, so he wanted them to be under some pressure, but it did not work out that way.

‘[In the second half] we needed to push people forward and try to get a goal fairly early to make a game of it, but that’s when they landed the sucker punch, as can often happen,’ said Dover.