FOLLOWING a week when professional football’s reputation plumbed new depths, Jersey’s 4-0 Muratti semi-final victory in Alderney on Saturday provided welcome relief.
The occasion, now with the Cherry Godfrey moniker attached, was a step back in time, something akin to the early rounds of the FA Cup in years past: Gallant no-hopers rally a close-knit community to enjoy the day to the full, balloons and bunting festooned around town - all helping to inspire their lads to a least make the big guns work hard for the right to progress.Enjoy the day Alderney certainly did - team and crowd - at a sun-drenched Mount Hale, despite the visitors scoring twice in each half and generally displaying a level of accomplishment well out of most of the Ridunians’ grasp.It was, of course, no surprise to anyone that Jersey’s extra class was clear from the off - this was a well-prepared Island team with only a few members new to the demands of inter-island football.
And Alderney, with extremely limited resources to start with, were further hamstrung with the absence of two star performers in Steve Concannon and Andrew Stone.But if the northern isle’s men (and more than a smattering of boys) were behind in terms of touch and sweet movement, they were not second best in committment and, perhaps surprisingly, fitness.Each passing minute without a Jersey goal saw hopes rise in the colourful and noisy home crowd, but there would be few who did not recognise the gulf in class and pressure - Jersey forced 13 more corners than the blue and whites in the first half alone.The goals apart, one incident stands out.
Alderney’s Kevin Gentle went down in a heap, after a far from gentle midfield clash, but Jersey’s Le Roux, presumably not hearing his colleagues’ instructions to put the ball out of play; ran on to strike a shot that hit goalkeeper Paul Williams on the legs before rebounding to the predatory Crick.
Left with an unguarded goal at his mercy and showing not the merest hesitation Crick slammed the ball out for a throw-in so Gentle could receive treatment.
A nice moment for a sport that often corners the market in bad headlines.But it was one of those rare occasions in competitive sport when both sides, managers, players and supporters could leave the ground feeling satisfied about their day.Jersey go on to bigger things with yet another Muratti final meeting with Guernsey at Springfield in May, while Alderney, the island that supplied the famous vase, can definitely see the green shoots of progress.
Certainly a high note for Bill Bohan to step down as president of the Alderney FA and it is far from ludicrous to suggest that given the right conditions, and opponents with less than a spot-on attitude, that they might one day upset the big boys - as they did Guernsey in the final of 1920 at Westmount, Jersey.
Article posted on 8th March, 2004 - 12.00am
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