ST OUEN F&SC lost their fight to avoid relegation to Division II last night in the Coca-Cola Jersey Football Combination.

A 2-0 home defeat by St Peter sent Peter Flambard and Danny Craven’s side back down after just one season in the top flight.

Joint-manager Craven, who is side-lined with a neck injury, said: ‘The lads are bitterly disappointed to be relegated but they’ve already showing a keenness to bounce back again at the first attempt.

‘We are an emerging team and it won’t help us going down; we would have learned more and improved further if we had stayed up but that is not now the case.

‘We’ve struggled to score goals of late and that has cost us.

If we’d managed to score a few more we would have put pressure on First Tower for their last game but that will not happen now.

‘We will regroup and focus hard to get back at the first attempt.

‘It’s a bitter pill to swallow, we won 14 points and that figure would have been enough to stay up in the last few season.

‘We had two early chances last night but, unfortunately, did not take them.

We competed hard and St Peter scored their second goal as we pushed forward in search of goals.’ St Peter captain Kevan Crowell said: ‘We’ve finished third and after getting just four points from our first six games that’s a great turn around.

‘St Ouen is not an easy place to get results, they are a strong and physical side and in places it’s a difficult playing surface.

‘But we got through with two good goals, Peter Vincenti putting away a fine header before Marco Vieira added a second following good control and a tidy finish.

‘St Ouen I expect to get back into Division I at the first attempt.

They worked hard last night and if they keep their players I’m sure they will do well next season.

‘We too will be stronger next season, it’s been a transitional year this time after winning the title last year with new faces in and several major injuries.

‘Managers Jon Trigg and Martin King continue to do an excellent job and I fully expect them to take us all the way again next season as we look to regain the title.’ St Ouen: Fraser McInnes; Craig Farley, Matt Smith, Anthony Norman, Rob Sanford, Anthony Norman Rob Sanford, Michael Norman, Tommy Titshall, Tom Richardson, Rob Moore, Ross Marquis, Martin Samson.

Subs: Paul Tomlinson, Shane Carré, Scott Samson.

St Peter: Gary Lloyd; Chris Conning, Kevan Crowell, Bradley Vowden, Jack Cannon; Ryan Durand, Stephen Wilkinson, Peter Vincenti, Scott Walsh; Marco Vieira, Bradley Russell.

Subs used: Josh Fernandes, Luke Benstead, Gareth Bayley.

Officials: Andy Legg, Andy Norman, Joao-Paulo Martins.

Other results: Div I Res: Rozel 2 (Dougie Ross 2), Jsy Scottish 4.

Div II Res: St Lawrence 1 (Mike Donoghue), St Clement 6 (Adam Claxton 3, Andy McGinnigle, Ciaran Hocking, Paul Tumelty).

St Paul’s 2, Portuguese 1.

Div C: Grouville 4, Sp Academics 0.