Before a sun-drenched crowd of around 700, the visitors thoroughly deserved their 4-1 success following two goals apiece from man-of-the-match Chris Mauger and live-wire striker Marc McGrath.
Jersey, who pulled a goal back with almost the last kick of the first half through skipper Peter Vincenti jnr, played the closing 20 minutes with ten players after Luke Watson received a second caution from referee Andy Cox after the midfielder put in a reckless challenge catching the referee, who, unfortunately, was in the wrong place at the wrong time and took a whack across the back of his legs! The victory was no more than Guernsey deserved, after they were walloped last year 4-0 at home and criticised for a lacklustre performance.
There is no doubt that defeat was still hurting as they brushed Jersey aside with relative ease.
They chased and harried when they did not have the ball and, in possession, they were full of running complemented by some excellent passing.
Jersey manager Peter Vincenti said: ‘Guernsey started really well and dominated large proportions of the first half.
They deservedly went 2-0 up.
However, we scored an excellent goal to get back to 2-1 and I thought we would build on that in the second half.
‘If we had got back to two-all in the first couple of minutes, when we had a golden opportunity, it could have been a very different finale, but unfortunately we missed it.
‘Poor, poor defending from a set piece made it 3-1 and we had to go and chase the game from then on in.
You either get a goal back and look to win 4-3 or you get another goal against you; that’s what happened and we’re 4-1 behind.
‘On the day we were second best; Guernsey fully deserved to win.’ Vincenti refused to comment on Watson’s sending off.
Guernsey boss Steve Ogier said: ‘My lads were superb, every one of them.
Their tempo to start the game was excellent and that was key for us going two goals ahead.
‘They applied themselves well from the first whistle and there was not a period in the game when we had to play ourselves in.
‘The first two goals were good finishes after some fine football in the build up.
‘We didn’t turn up last year when it was a very poor performance, so we had to get the players’ heads right this time.
‘Marc McGrath plays on the shoulder of defenders well and if there is a bit of grass behind the defender we’d look to get the ball there for him and we got a lot of joy from that.
‘We had 80 per cent of the first half and Jersey nicked one on the stroke of half time.
I immediately thought, “”Oh, know here we go again!”” ‘We gifted them the goal with poor marking and at the break I told everyone to continue to be positive.
When our third goal went in it settled us a little again.
‘All over the pitch everyone did their job, as we’d told them to do; I’m proud of them.
Joby Bourgaise was feeling unwell and I left him on as long as I could, before he asked to come off in the end.
‘Sam Cochrane led from the back as captain and our under-18 goalkeeper Andrew Rigden made a couple of important stops; he was nervous but did a fine job overall.’ Mauger fired Guernsey ahead in the 16th minute with a crisp left-foot drive from an acute angle after running on to a beautifully flighted pass behind Jersey’s defence by Aaron Ferbrache.
Craig Young nodded just wide of Jersey’s goal after Guernsey continued to ask all of the questions.
Moments earlier Jersey’s Neal Crowell made an excellent tackle to deny a Guernsey threat and then Joel Speight cut out a dangerous McGrath cross.
Guernsey were stretching Jersey’s defence and, when Young nodded the ball back into McGrath’s path, the diminutive striker curled a left-foot shot from 20 yards inside goalkeeper Matt Brookland’s left-hand upright.
McGrath then shot narrowly wide following a lovely touch to him played by Bourgaize.
A quick free kick from Vincenti was goal-bound only for the alert Rigden, who was organising a defensive wall, to race to his left and then dive full-stretch to push the ball away for a corner.
Moments later Rigden again denied Vincenti with an outstretched hand, this time after racing to close his opponent down.
Jersey’s best move of the half, involving Lucas Parker, Jack Cannon and Bradley Russell, resulted in Vincenti rolling the ball into the Guernsey net from eight yards out after a perfectly-flighted pass from Bradley Russell.
Cannon fired just wide of Guernsey’s goal in the opening minute after the restart but five minutes later Jersey’s defence left the back door open and Mauger arrived unopposed to side-foot Guernsey 3-1 ahead following Sam Matthews’ free kick.
McGrath made it 4-1 on the hour when he intercepted Crowell’s weak header back to Brookland to lift the ball over the advancing ‘keeper.
With Watson now departed Jersey tried harder to create more chances, which led to Craig Russell lifting a glorious chance over Guernsey’s crossbar, while Rigden stuck out a strong hand to prevent substitute Ben Ahier reducing the deficit.
Ollie Mackenzie made a goal-line clearance in the 93rd minute and from the rebound substitute Ryan Le Cornu matched Russell’s feat by clearing the crossbar from six yards.
Jersey: Matt Brookland; Sam Dewhurst, Neal Crowell, Joel Speight, Lucas Parker; Ryan Durand (Sean Doran, 46), Luke Watson, Peter Vincenti, Jack Cannon; Bradley Russell (Ben Ahier, 69), Craig Russell (Ryan Le Cornu, 90).
Guernsey: Andrew Rigden; Sam Matthews, Sam Cochrane, Alex Le Prevost, Oliver Mackenzie; Chris Mauger, Darren Martin, Joby Bourgaize (Blane Quéripel, 84), Aaron Ferbrache (Paul Ramsden, 63); Marc McGrath, Craig Young.
Officials: Andy Cox (Jsy); Colin Wherry (Gsy), Andy Norman (Jsy); Russell Barry (Jsy).
Coca-Cola Combination Ladies League: St John 8, Grouville 0; St Paul’s 2, St Brelade 0; St Peter 6, Jsy Wanderers 1.
Jersey Telecom Junior League, U18 Division I: Jsy Wanderers 5, St Brelade 0.
U16 Eric Amy 1st rnd: First Tower Utd 1, St Peter 1; St Paul’s 3, Trinity 1; Rozel Rovers 0, St.
Brelade 9; Jsy Wanderers 20, St Clement 0.
U14 Division I: First Tower scratched to Jsy Wanderers A; St Clement A 2, St Peter 3.
U14 Cory Cup prelim rnd: Grouville 5, Jsy Scottish 0.
1st rnd: St John 3, Jsy Wanderers B 3 (St John win 4-1 on pens); St Brelade 1, St Paul’s B 3; St Clement B 3, St Ouen 4 U12 Red Group: St Clement A 8, First Tower Utd 1; St Peter A 2, Jsy Wanderers A 3.
U12 White Group: St Brelade 1, Grouville 7; St John 2, Jesy Wanderers B 1.
U12 Blue Group: St Clement B 5, Beeches OB 1; St Peter B 2, Rozel Rovers 4.
