Vale close to throwing it all away

Vale Rec. 3, St Paul's 1

VALE REC. are into the last four of the Jeremie Cup. But their attacking profligacy and general lethargy nearly cost them victory as St Paul's launched a late burst in a match that Vale could have tied up in the opening half-an-hour.

Early second-half goals from Tristram Morgan and Craig Tyrrell gave Vale an apparently unassailable two-goal lead, but a long injury stoppage midway through the second period turned the match on its head and St Paul's dominated the final 25 minutes.

Steve Cummings, butler to Jersey's governor, did pull one goal back for the visitors in the 76th minute and Vale were exceptionally lucky not to concede again. Danny Bisson wrapped up this quarter-final in injury time with his 11th goal in nine matches.

The green-and-yellows started well. They were lively and passed the ball with precision and direction and dominated possession in a one-sided first half. Indeed, Vale made St Paul's look very ordinary and it was not difficult to see why they are struggling towards the foot of Jersey's Division One.

Danny Bisson missed a good chance in the opening minutes and Tyrrell could not squeeze the ball in at the far post in the 13th minute as Vale opened up their opponents with ease.

St Paul's did not venture into Vale's penalty area until the 20th minute, when Paul Aitken dragged wide a decent half-chance. Aitken and Cummings, whose figure suggested that the food at Government House must be ample and delicious, were well marshalled.

Danny Bisson was upended unfairly just inside the box midway through the first half, but his penalty was saved impressively by Danny Evans.

Tyrrell hit a half-volley into the side netting seconds after the penalty miss and Jon Baudains' long-range effort flew fractionally wide of the post soon afterwards. It was beginning to look like a frustrating day at the office.

However, Vale were less wasteful after the break. They got their first goal eight minutes into the second half. Morgan volleyed in a near-post cross from close range. It was a fine finish from the island midfielder, who was booked for verbals again in his first match back from suspension.

A lengthy stoppage disrupted what little rhythm the game had. The emergency services took half-an-hour to treat St Paul's Paul Renton, who broke his ankle in a clash with Tyrrell.

The under-21 island striker came away from the challenge unscathed - he actually picked up a rather peculiar caution for it - and bagged his 10th goal of the season a few minutes later, touching the ball home at the far post after a flick on from a corner.

Vale then stopped playing and St Paul's found a new lease of life, although the home side's fortunes were hardly helped by the dismissal of Baudains for a second bookable offence. Numbers were evened up in injury time when St Paul's were also reduced to 10.

Cummings squandered a brilliant chance to halve the deficit 15 minutes from time, but he made amends by doing just that 60sec. later.

Sarahs and goalkeeper Jody Bisson got in a tangle over a misplaced backpass, the island number one could get only a weak hand to Glenn Durrans' shot and the butler was on hand to poke the ball into an open goal.

It was all St Paul's by that stage, but the Caesareans failed to force an equaliser, to the great relief of the sizeable crowd, each of whom paid £2 to watch a very average game in what seemed like sub-zero temperatures.

At least the home supporters retired to the warmth of the clubhouse with smiles on their faces after Danny Bisson took advantage of a comical goalkeeping error to seal a generally deserved win.