Mark Ramsden side-footed Vale Rec into a shock lead at the Corbet Field, but the home side could not hold on. (Picture by Tom Tardif, 0833617)

Vale Rec 1, Bels 3

AS PROVEN match-winners go in Guernsey, no one can touch Dave Rihoy.

You can pick all the ‘star men’ or ‘ones to watch’ you want ahead of a season, but that is just conjecture. When it comes down to it, there is no substitute for class.

Just when Bels needed someone to kick-start their campaign as they trailed to a disciplined Vale Rec outfit at the Corbet Field, Rihoy took it upon himself to do just that with a second-half hat-trick that was almost inevitable.

As the hosts tired, so Rihoy came into his own and his new coach Ian Champion is under no illusions as to his importance in the race for the Priaulx Cup.

‘We have just got to give him the ball,’ said Champion in a very matter-of-fact way.

Vale Rec deserve credit for the way they played, particularly in the first half.

At times, their football was neat and incisive, especially as their confidence grew after taking a 15th-minute lead, even if it was a fortuitous goal.