ST PETER FC’S hopes of a third Upton Park Trophy success in six years were shattered midway through the second half in Guernsey on Saturday.

Despite drawing level from the penalty spot on the stroke of half time, Jersey’s champions conceded three goals in six minutes to go down 4-1 to Belgrave Wanderers at the Corbet Field.

It was a day the visitors will want to forget quickly as they failed, miserably, to reach the level they had achieved in winning the Coca-Cola Combination title with a dozen straight league wins including last Monday’s play-off decider.

Bels took the lead with a great strike from just outside the penalty area from Brent Marquand.

His opportunity came after Saints skipper Dean Godwin, having made a great tackle, could then only clear the ball across his area towards Marquand.

Peter Vincenti equalised on the stroke of half time after Marco Vieira was fouled, but two goalkeeping errors in the 66th and 67th minutes from Gareth Bayley left St Peter with a mountain to climb.

Bayley’s weak punch was nodded back across goal leaving Marc McGrath to volley home and then Bayley unluckily pushed Daragh Duffy’s cross-shot into his own net.

Worse followed only minutes later as St Peter conceded possession again and Joby Bourgaise’s cross from Bels’ right was nodded in by an unmarked McGrath.

Saints manager Jon Trigg said: ‘Everyone’s very disappointed and I’ve got to hold my hand up as I chose the wrong side.

‘We did not look fresh, it was our worst performance of the year – I got it wrong.

I should have used the squad more by putting fresher legs in.

Our play-off victory took its toll on us today.

‘Saying that, two goals in a couple of minutes and then three in six really stacked the odds against us.

‘We’ve conceded four goals in each of our last two games and we cannot expect to concede that many goals and win each time.’ Bels boss Micky Ogier said: ‘I’m delighted, we thoroughly deserved to win.

The boys were fired up, a lot of them had much to prove after their disappointing under-21 Muratti performance and they certainly made up for it today.

‘We had a lot of the ball first half but St Peter had the better chances.

Second half we displayed a great spirit – I don’t remember St Peter having a clear chance.

Marc McGrath was about to come off when he scored our second as he had done little until then.

Shortly after that he scored again to put us in the driving seat.

‘Daragh Duffy held the ball up well for us in attack and 16-year-old Ben Coulter came in to do a job at right back and he deserved to win the man-on-the-match award.’ Twice in the opening ten minutes Bels’ goalkeeper Rhys Gower fisted out good St Peter efforts, the first a fine 30-yard free kick by Chris Hamon.

But Bels had the lion’s share of possession as they were quick to close St Peter down and force them into mistakes.

Stuart Cameron, Dominic Maher and Godwin, twice, all made timely interceptions while Bradley Vowden dominated in the air as Bels forced the pace.

Marquand gave Bayley no chance with his daisy-cutter which gave the hosts the lead in the 28th minute.

Sam Cochrane made two good headed interceptions as St Peter finished the half strongly, Vowden and Vincenti both got into good positions only to be off target with their efforts.

Hamon also struck the apex of the goal with a rising shot.

Vieira exchanged passes with Freeman and running at Guernsey’s defence he was upended by Cochrane for St Peter’s penalty.

Vincenti strode forward to hit the target to Gower’s right.

Both sides squandered half-chances in the opening minutes after the resumption before Bels won the match with their six-minute three-goal haul.

St Peter rarely looked threatening after that and Bels, who were much the sharper throughout, held on comfortably to win following sound performances in defence from Cochrane and Leighton Chainey.

Bels’ victory was the first for a Guernsey side in seven inter-island matches at all levels this season.

Belgraves: Rhys Gower; Ben Coulter (Chris King, 86), Sam Cochrane, Leighton Chainey, Mick de la Haye; Brent Marquand, Joby Bourgaize, Scott Bradford, Paul Ramsden (Simon Marley, 86); Marc McGrath (Jamie Toussaint, 78), Daragh Duffy.

Cautioned: McGrath, Duffy.

St Peter: Gareth Bayley; Stuart Cameron, Bradley Vowden, Dean Godwin (Craig Grant, 46), Kevan Crowell; Peter Vincenti, Marcus Bailey (Ryan Durrand, 72), Dominic Maher, Chris Hamon; Marco Vieira (Scott Walsh, 58); Gary Freeman.

Cautioned: Freeman.

Officials: Paul Taylor, Peter Davison (Gsy), Andy Norman, Geoff Ogier (Gsy).