Veron hits hat-trick on night of woe for Vale

North 3, Vale Rec 0

PLAYED off the park, two players sent off and two-thirds of their coaching team, including manager Ray Blondel, omitted from the ground - not a night that will be remembered with pride by Priaulx League champions Vale Rec. In the wake of all the fuss, it was easy to forget that Jon Veron hit a fantastic hat-trick, North fashioned as good a team goal you will see all season and the home side looked every inch like champions.

At the final whistle, the Vale boss sensibly declined to comment, having done plenty of that - and much more - as he responded foolishly to the 25th minute dismissal by Matt Patch.

Blondel's foul-mouthed verbal lashing of referee Andy Priaulx's decision, was prolonged and unseemly. Having been banished from the technical area he was soon sent from the ground altogether, as was assistant John Reid.

For the final 10 minutes of the half, the pair watched the proceedings from North's newly-sown practice pitch-to-be, but all they would have seen was the yellows getting the runaround from this fit, young and talented chocolate-and-blues side.

Vale also lost midfielder James Coquelin for leading with the elbow in an aerial challenge deep into the second half, while North had their keeper Paul de Garis sent off for a 'professional foul' on Vale's speedy striker Danny Bisson.

De Garis, who may have been fooled into a lapse of concentration by North's dominance - 2-0 up after just 10 minutes - dithered too long on the ball and having been robbed by Bisson tripped him on the edge of the six-yard box.

Priaulx, unlike his two other dismissals, had no alternative but to dismiss the keeper.

North sent on reserve keeper Steve Gibson and Bisson, to compound Vale's already bleak evening, pulled the spot-kick hopelessly wide.

The Patch dismissal and subsequent outbursts by Blondel, disrupted North's flow, as manager Geoff Tardif was quick to point out after the final whistle.

'It certainly took the edge off it,' said Tardif, while praising his side for keeping their heads while others were losing it.

'To get to half-time 2-0 up I was very pleased with,' he added, before enthusing over North's brilliant second goal.

'We scored some fine goals last season but that has to rank up there with the best. From a coach's point of view it was wonderful.'

Veron had already headed North in front after nine minutes - a goal emanating from Matt Le Cras' fierce drive parried by Jody Bisson into Veron's path - when they surged forward and doubled their lead a minute later.

Le Cras swept a superb long pass from wide inside the full-back and into the path of Dave Rihoy, wide on the right.

Rihoy, without breaking his stride, clipped a first-time ball across goal and Veron rushed in from beyond the far post to blast the ball home.

North and Veron had to wait until the 58th minute for the third which finally killed off Vale.

Rihoy was given too much time near the left corner flag and a deep cross beyond the far post ran loose to Veron, who cracked a fierce drive home.

North might have had several more had their minds been more focused in the closing stages, but the game was long won and they were back on top of the Priaulx League table.

*AT THE Track Bels beat Sylvans 4-1 in Norman Piette Youth Two, scoring all five goals in the process.

Bels' scorers were Ben Coulter, Carl Bisson, Naro Zimmerman and John Gauvain, while Sylvans benefited from an own goal.