Guernsey 4 Naval Air Command 0

THE sun shone at the Track, the opposition were obliging and Guernsey won no points. Just useful park time and the chance to bed down some of the island’s emerging talents.

The Malaya Cup is no Muratti, it’s no Island Games and it’s no National League System Cup.

It’s not really important to be truthful, but Steve Ogier’s makeshift side were grateful for some easy opposition in a season starved of representative games now the South & West Counties League is a thing of the past.

Two goals from Craig Young and one apiece from Marc McGrath and Scott Bradford – the latter a cracker – did not signify the true balance of play.

Had the island got 10 it would have been no surprise, but to their credit the RNAC kept battling away for 90 minutes generally well controlled by one of the better emerging refs, Neil Lunn.

Ogier admitted that the game failed to get his pulse racing at any time.

‘We had nine out today and on the performance side it gave us the chance to look at some players and together with Thursday’s game maybe give some two opportunities instead of one,’ he said.

‘We overplayed it at times but the players worked hard off the ball. The commitment and attitude was good. It was good practice on the ball.’

Had the Opta stats man been in the depleted crowd, the possession ratio might have been somewhere in the region of 80-20 in favour of the greens who were able to give several island under-21s an opportunity to shine.

Most of them did, although any praise must be tempered by the fact that the visitors are not a great side and had to call on a 48-year-old and a 45-year-old.

It took the island nine minutes to get their noses in front, Young sidefooting home from close range.

Three minutes later McGrath swerved one way and then the other as he approached the box before hammering a fierce shot into the bottom far corner.

Danny Williams was close to heading the RNAC back into the game as he got his head on a penetrative free-kick, but in first half stoppage time Young was on hand for his second tap-in after Joby Bourgaize pulled the ball square into his path.

Ogier made two changes at half-time and a further two in the second period as Paul Ramsden, Alex Le Prevost, Kris Moherndl and Naro Zimmerman all got useful time on the pitch.

One of those to make way was skipper Matt Warren who cut his knee just before the break.

McGrath wasted three good chances to multiply his single goal three or four times, but the only goal of the half came from Bradford on the hour.

Given time and space centrally 25 yards out, the Belgrave looked up and volleyed a bouncing ball high into the top, far corner.