ST PAUL’S scuppered Jersey Scottish under-14s’ league and cup double hopes by dumping them out of the Brian Beckett Trophy last night.
The Saints won 2-1 at Les Quennevais to delight their manager Micky Porter and avenge two Lloyds TSB Junior League Division I defeats.Saints goalkeeper Peter Osmont saved Jack Boyle’s penalty kick in the first half before Calum Brennan fired the Scots ahead.
Stephen Phelan equalised soon after following a fine run and Phelan later scored his and St Paul’s second goal some 12 minutes from the end.Porter said: ‘It was a great result for us and the boys now have the final at Springfield to look forward to.
We have played better football than we did last night but we battled and fought hard throughout.’Scottish are a physically strong side and I believe my players feared them in the first half.
But after a chat at half-time we overcame that and matched them well.
Stephen Phelan scored two fine goals and in the end he could well have had four or five.’Goalkeeper Peter Osmont had a great game for us too; it was his best performance for the team and he chose the right night to do it against the top team and in a semi-final.’He palmed away the penalty well together with making two other fine saves.’Scottish official Stan Irvine said: ‘It was a great game and a fine advert for junior football.
We had the better of the chances in the first half while the second half was fairly even up to their second goal.
After that we pushed on in search of an equaliser and Phelan should have added to his tally but he was denied by some good goalkeeping from Danny Ratcliffe.’Jack was disappointed to miss the penalty and I told him not to worry because these things happen in football.
He is a tremendous player and he marshalled the midfield well last night.’Scottish’s defeat was their first this season.St Paul’s meet First Tower in the final at Springfield next Thursday, kick-off 7.30 pm.
Article posted on 11th March, 2004 - 12.00am
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