JERSEY’S under-18 footballers continue their Muratti build-up tomorrow with a testing Pentagon Junior International match against Northern Ireland U16s at Springfield.
Two years ago the Irish visited Jersey for the first time and in a fine game they defeated Jersey’s U16s 2-0.
Several of those Jersey players have now progressed into the U18 squad and will play again.Jersey manager Jon Welsh, who misses the game because of business commitments, said: ‘Our games programme for the U18s is the best yet and Northern Ireland will be excellent opposition for us to play against.
I expect them to be of a similar standard to Southampton’s U17s, who we played recently, so it’s a good game for the players.’My team are a vastly-improved side since Christmas and I’m confident we can get a result.
Goalkeeper Frazer Siddall has come on leaps and bounds since last year and that’s because he’s regularly getting senior first-team football with his club.’The defence is organised and the team has a solid spine.
Brett Pitman will start in attack; he scores goals at every level he plays at so I wouldn’t rule him out of scoring again tomorrow.’We’ve prepared well and following the Southampton defeat we spoke about the things we did wrong.
Hopefully we’ve rectified them on the training ground over the past couple of weeks and they they won’t happen again.’Northern Ireland will be good opposition and I hope my players put in a good performance for themselves and the Island as they continue their build-up towards the Guernsey game next month.’Jersey’s Education, Sport and Culture president Mike Vibert, will represent the States of Jersey tomorrow at the fixture as part of the Anglo-Irish Agreement and he will make a brief speech following the match which kicks-off at 2.30 pm.
Article posted on 27th March, 2004 - 12.00am
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