JERSEY didn’t lose a single game of hockey in the annual inter-insular encounter with Guernsey on Saturday - until the final match of the day, when the ten-man 1st XI were beaten by a single goal and the Sarnians retained the title they had won last year.
The match had been, Jersey captain Paul Marshallsay said later, a very strange one.And for the men’s 1st XI to have equalised would have been only fair, given the way they had played for threequarters of the match, but they came close to doing so only a couple of times, with an Ali Hall shot stopped on the line in the first half and a short-corner shot that looked to have gone in but actually hit the side-netting.Guernsey scored within eight minutes of the start, from a short corner converted by Andy Alford.
In the first few minutes the Sarnians made all the running, with Jersey looking a little hesitant, although the work put in by the experienced trio of James Wetherall, Stuart Ramskill and Paul Marshallsay kept the greens at bay.After the visitors scored, Jersey seemed to wake up a little and for a brief period the play was end-to-end, with Guernsey’s breaks coming to nothing as they were stopped by solid defending.Then a cracking run down the wing by Richard Finch came to a disastrous end when Finch shoved an opponent coming in to try to stop him, in a manner which the national umpire judged to be deliberate - and that was the end of the former England U21 player’s game as he was red-carded.Although most of those on the pitch, including the Guernseymen, thought the red card was perhaps a little harsh, ironically, from then on the Jersey side pulled themselves together and started to play good hockey.
In fact, for the rest of the game it was far from obvious that they were missing a player.In goal for Guernsey, Kees Jaeger had little to do, with short-corner attacks either going wide or being easily pushed aside by defenders, while Jersey ‘keeper Garret O’Brien had only a couple of serious saves to make, and Guernsey’s only goal, from a short corner, had been unstoppable.Jersey came back after the break rather more in control, and Matt Banahan, linking well with Mark Dicker and Ramskill, played tirelessly while Simon Watling and Tony Ray continued their spirited defence.But time ran out for Jersey to score, and that final whistle marked the end of a remarkably even match.Guernsey captain Adie Peacegood said: ‘We’ve just come to the end of a good run in the English Hockey Association Cup, which means we’ve played together as a team on a regular basis this season against strong UK opposition.
We were knocked out last weekend by a very strong team, and knowing that Jersey were going to be strong we had a week to sort out our play for this game.’It was a hard-fought match - as always.
I think we had most of the possession in the first half but in the second Jersey put us under a lot of pressure and we weren’t sure how to break it up.
We were hardly aware they were missing a player - they worked very hard.
I don’t know if the red card should have been given.
Perhaps it was a bit harsh.’He added: ‘But we are delighted to have won.
It’s been a very long time since we won in Jersey.”I’m gutted,’ was Paul Marshallsay’s reaction to the result.
‘It was a very strange game.
We didn’t have a very bright start, but we certainly played better as a team when there were just ten of us.’Although we haven’t played together that often, we went to the UK and did well against some London sides recently, so I was feeling confident, I really thought we could win it.’The ladies’ 1st XI game was also close, but it was Jersey who scored three times to Guernsey’s lone goal in a repeat of last year’s score.The match hadn’t started so well for Jersey, with Becky Herbert sin-binned for an over-exuberant tackle, but the play was even throughout the half, with both sides making runs and gaining short corners.Jamey Herbert came closest, with a shot from the edge of the D that was deflected.
Guernsey went straight onto the attack in the second half but the Jersey team were well able to contain them.Their first goal came three minutes after the restart after a short corner, won by a tireless Nina Woods, was converted by Chrissie Hefford.
Hefford’s second came minutes later after a defensive mix-up.After that, there was a period when Jersey made all the running, Hefford, Kelly de la Haye and new cap Ellie Butler constantly breaking through the middle.
A Beckie Herbert shot only just went wide and Lisa Phillips’ lifted shot over the ‘keeper’s head just looped over the top of the goal.Guernsey earned several short corners but couldn’t convert, with Jersey goalkeeper Jenny Pryke in good form.
The Guernsey pressure increased as the clock ticked on, and with ten minutes remaining Debbie Allen scored from yet another short corner.The Jersey players made a number of good runs through the Guernsey pack, but on several occasions there was no-one there to help, with balls being hit forward more in hope than expectation.However, Jersey got it right when they scored their third through Beckie Herbert, although Emma Atkinson, the Guernsey ‘keeper, went down like a ton of bricks as she tried to stop the ball and had to be helped off the pitch with a shoulder injury.Before the final whistle Jersey won another short corner but failed to convert.
Guernsey’s next short corner attempt went in but was way over Pryke’s head and disallowed because it didn’t strike the backboard.
Another attack from the Sarnians was halted and Jersey missed another chance of scoring - and then it was all over and Jersey had won.Jersey captain Janet Masterman said: ‘It was a hard game.
Guernsey started strongly but we came back in the second half.
We defended well and then made the breaks and scored.
Overall I’m very pleased with the team’s performance.
No one player shone, it was a good team effort.’The Guernsey captain, Kath Hymen, said: ‘We had the better of the first half but just didn’t put our chances away.
Jersey’s two quick goals in the second half meant we had an uphill battle, but we never gave up.’Other resultsMen:Jersey men’s 2nds 2, Guernsey 2nds 2: Guernsey were the stronger side in the first half and scored twice, both times through Barry Wallace.
The first goal came from a penalty flick and the second was a drag flick from a short corner.Jersey came back much stronger in the second half and Chris Curtis put away two goals, one from a short corner and the second after an excellent run.Jersey men’s 3rds 1, Guernsey 3rds 1: In an even game, John Davies scored for Jersey and Pierre Moody for the visitors..Jersey men’s 4ths 5, Guernsey 4ths 0: This Jersey side, most of whom were members of the Minor Cup-winning Thornbacks, out-ran and out-played their Sarnian opponents.
Goals were scored by Dave Fior (two), the first when Peter Taylor spotted Fior’s fantastic run from the left wing, and he converted brilliantly.
Taylor then got his name on the scoresheet when he converted a short corner which was deflected in by a Guernsey stick to make it 3-0, and Ed Daubeney, from a short corner, fired a rocket into the corner of the goal to make it 4-0.
Richard Determeyer finished things off at the end with another piledriver following a fantastic move down the right.Jersey men’s 5ths 3, Guernsey 5ths 2: Jersey scrambled a last-minute winner through Stuart Richford in a close game which the home side led by a single goal at half-time.
Guernsey scored twice in the first 20 minutes of the second half through Mark Tanguy and Wayne Moore, but Adam Smith and Simon Garton hit back to level.
Then came Richford’s winner, followed by a goal-line clearance to maintain the victory.Jersey men’s vets 3, Guernsey vets 1:This match was played on Sunday morning for the Cabbage Stick Trophy and Jersey went 1-0 up through Dave Fior, with Ed Daubeney and Nick Taylor securing a 3-0 lead by half-time.
Guernsey’s consolation goal came from Andy Graham from a short corner.
Jersey ladies’ 2nds 1, Guernsey 2nds 0: A young Jersey side played well, although both teams had plenty of opportunities to score.
However, it was Jersey who made the most of their chances with a good goal from Sarah Kerley, who drilled in a shot from the penalty spot 20 minutes into the game.
Guernsey piled on the pressure from the start of the second half but the Jersey defence quickly turned the game back to the attack.
Just before the final whistle Guernsey were awarded five consecutive short corners but each time Jersey’s defence, led by sweeper Nicky Quénault, kept them out, with the final save being made by the formidable Katie Liddington in goal.Jersey ladies’ 3rds 4, Guernsey 3rds 1: A well-disciplined Jersey side were 3-0 ahead through Sarah Anderson (two) and Becky Slater, who played very well, before Guernsey scored their solitary goal, just before the break.
Jersey lost their shape in the second half but ‘keeper Raydene Stracy made some good saves.
In the dying minutes Ann Banahan scored Jersey’s fourth to put the result beyond doubt and give the 3rds their first win against Guernsey for three years.
Article posted on 29th March, 2004 - 12.00am
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