Westerners keep title hopes alive

North 0, Sylvans 1

NORTHERNERS' Priaulx League title challenge is over, but Sylvans' dreams of winning a 10th successive championship are still alive. Sylvans beat Northerners 1-0 last night to keep up the pressure on Vale Rec. at the top of the table. Vale lead Sylvans by four points, but the reigning champions have a game in hand.

Jarrod Avery scored a spectacular goal in the 83rd minute of last night's Northfield clash to finally end North's slim hopes of landing the title.

Sylvans coach Richard Packman said that he was 'extremely pleased' with his side's victory and added that the end-to-end game 'showed the very best of Priaulx League football'.

'Give credit to North, who came at us from the kick-off, but we defended well throughout. I was happy to go in at half-time with the score 0-0.

'The instruction in the second half was to push on, to move the full-backs and wide midfield players further forward and exploit the space in behind North. That worked for us.

'It was a super game played between two very competitive teams who were trying to play good football. I'm very pleased. We can hold our heads up high tonight.'

The destiny of the championship is still out of Sylvans' hands - a Vale win against Rovers next Tuesday would wrap up the league for the green-and-yellows - but Packman pledged to 'keep fighting until the very end'.

North coach Geoff Tardif was delighted with his side's general play, but he admitted that not scoring enough goals had undermined their title bid.

'Looking back on the season, I'd like to think that we've played as well as anybody else, but the problem has obviously been in front of goal,' said Tardif.

'Tonight we created a lot of chances again, but we should've converted some of those chances.

'There were a lot of positives to take from tonight, but of course the players are frustrated to have lost after playing well.'

Meanwhile, at Blanche Pierre Lane, St Martin's hopes of finishing in the top three were all but ended when they were held to a 0-0 draw by Belgrave Wanderers.

Saints boss Steve Ogier said that expectations got out of hand when it was suggested that his side could have won the league after the other title challengers dropped several points earlier this season.

'What I would say about this season, with the young players coming into first team football as juniors or in their first year of senior football, they were going to be inconsistent,' said Ogier.

'We have had some good results but we have also had poor performances as well - as yet we have not got that middle game where they can win when not at their best.'