Coca-Cola Jersey Football Combination Division One Magpies look completely lost in this division after conceding double figures for the third time this season. The league's bottom club let in sixteen without reply to second placed Grouville, meaning they've conceded thirty goals in the past five days. In fact this loss is the biggest defeat for a side in Division One since Trinity beat Sporting Academics 18-0 on the final day of the season back in April 2004.Ìý Liam Walshe scored eight, equalling St. Pauls striker Craig Leitch's record this season for a single match goal haul for a top flight side, as Grouville ran riot. Alex Jeffries got a hat-trick, and there was a goal each for Toni Cardoso, Russell le Feuvre, John Kiersey, Nelio Marote and Paul Crompton. Elsewhere there was a big result at the bottom end of the table as Trinity got dragged further into the relegation fight after losing by Carl Scott’s only goal of the game at Rozel Rovers. That win moves Rovers six points clear of the drop zone, while Trinity are hovering dangerously above the trap door. | "We’re in a relegation struggle now. We really are." | | Tower boss Dave Philpott |
Meanwhile First Tower Utd, one of Jersey football's most famous names edged closer to relegation, after going down4-0 at nearest rivals St. Peter. St. Peter dominated for long periods and they should have been three up before the island manager's son, Peter junior, gave his side the lead ten minutes before half time. A high ball from the left wasn't dealt with by Tower keeper Luke Bechelet, and Vincenti tapped in from close range from the resulting scramble. That goal made up for two headers that should have been scored by the tall midfielder earlier. And he only had to wait three minutes for his and St. Peter's second. Captain Kevan Crowell delivering a perfect low cross from the left and Vincenti got in front of the keeper to side foot home. On the hour St. Peter had island midfielder Jack Cannon sent off for something he said to the referee Nigel Hammond, and a few minutes later the touchline fun began. Island boss Vincenti and Philpott had a disagreement on the opposite side of the pitch from the crowd. After a lot of shouting and gesticulating the referee Mr Hammond was called in to calm the situation.
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Despite having ten men, St. Peter weren't distracted by the off pitch shenanigans and went three up when Bradley Russell headed home with just over twenty minutes left. A free kick was floated into the box, Crowell's flicked header rebounded off the bar and the teenage striker had an easy header into the open goal. The rout was complete seven minutes from time when Dominic Glennon played St. Peter's sub Marco Viera onside and the speedy striker ran clear through to slot home. St. Peter were never troubled, even when they went down to ten men, while Tower failed to really trouble their opponents and look in a whole lot of trouble with the gap to relegation safety growing every week. Tower boss Dave Philpott conceded that his side had been beaten by a strong St. Peter line-up and admitted tha t“we’re in a relegation struggle now. We really are. All I can say is our players gave everything and it wasn’t good enough on the day.†Former island captain and veteran St. Peter defender Brad Vowden was pleased with how his side performed, telling Â鶹ԼÅÄ Jersey “since Christmas we rallied around each other, not conceded a goal yet, and that Trinity result was probably a key resultÌý for us in terms of momentum –hopefully we can continue that to the end of the season.†Division Two The two-horse race for the title continues unabated. Leaders Portuguese Club beat bottom side St. John as Carlos Bruno Sousa and Manny Fernandes both scored twice, and there were singles for Antonio Antunes, Kamil Adamaczuk and Freddy Mendes. Colin Dumond got two for St. John and Jamie Smith their other. Second-from-bottom St. Lawrence gave second-placed Jersey Wanderers a run for their money before the red and whites came away with a win by the odd goal in three. Chris Maguire scored Wanderers’ first with his first touch coming off the bench,Ìý and the second came from Marc Reid. Martin Saunders got one back for St. Lawrence. Jersey Nomads stay third after a comfortable win at St. Martin/S.C.F. with Lukas Kanior, Ged O'Donoghue and Carl Winn on target. Fourth placed Sporting Academics, who scored seven last week against St. Brelade, conceded seven this week to St. Clement! Matt Scriven and Mark Anderton both grabbed a brace, with John Murray, James Walton and Beau Waugh also on target. Jamie Savory replied for Accies. Beeches and St. Brelade shared eight goals at the FB Fields. Andy McKnight and Peter Le Cuirot both scored two for Beeches. St. Brelade's four goals came from Fintan Kennedy, Eric Wilmotte, Max Arnold and Stephen Reed. Division One Reserves Rozel Rovers missed the chance to go equal on points with leaders Grouville after being held at Wanderers to a goal-less draw. St. Peter in third also dropped points against Accies, for whom Tommy WigleyÌý scored – Aaron Parkinson’s goal for St. Peter ensured the points were shared. At the bottom, Trinity made up some ground after winning at St. Brelade with goals from Anthony Greig and Leon Huchet, with Tim Geall scoring for St. Brelade. Scottish claimed all the points against Tower with two Reuben Legge goals and one from Dane Sutton – Wayne Shales scored Tower’s consolation. Division Two Reserves St. Ouen regained top spot on goal difference after beating fourth-placed St. Clement courtesy of strikes from Jon Evans, Ben Burton and Ross Marquis, with Tom Wilson replying for St. Clement. St. Ouen are one of only two unbeaten sides in the Combination. St. Pauls took advantage of St. Clement’s defeat to move above them into third after coming from behind to beat Beeches. Declan Sowney scored twice, with singles from Ollie Gallagher, Robbie Whittaker, Paul McGinness, while Paul Skinner and Kurt Miller replied for Beeches, who led 2-1 at the interval. Nomads are up to fifth with Martyn Jubb and Chris Gallagher both on target against Magpies. Division C Grouville remain unbeaten after a comfortable win over St. Lawrence, to go within a point of leaders St. Brelade. Jan Buttle-Ulvin, Steve Ashton, Nick Walmsley, Simon Stratford and Sam Dustow all scored. Apart from Grouville’s first team, the highest scorers of the day were Sporting Academics, who hit eight against Rozel. Ged Horgan scored four, Justin Spencer-Burrows three, and Aaron Scott once, while Sean Anderton had the frustration of scoring a hat-trick while still ending up on the losing side. | 
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