Guernsey stay top but flatter to deceive

Guernsey 41, Eastleigh 0

SIX tries and a fourth straight win to stay top of the Hampshire One table, but Guernsey coach Rob Box was not overly impressed. It was a fits and starts performance,' said Box, who within moments of the final whistle going at Foote's Lane took his team behind the north goal and quietly told them exactly what he thought of their sluggish performance.

Guernsey always looked to have too much firepower and fitness for an Eastleigh side who had taken just two points from their first three games of the season and lost winger Mike Kirby with a suspected broken leg and their scrum half, Carson, with a cut above the eye.

Box described the performance as encouraging but sluggish.

'The boys are honest players and they were disappointed with their own performances,' added the coach, while assistant Colin McLatchie said there was still a lot of hard work do to on the training pitch.

'It was a good win but we made it difficult for ourselves. We gave away a lot of good possession pretty much throughout,' added the man in charge of the backs.

Eastleigh never remotely looked like breaking through the home defence but for the first 20 minutes they allowed Guernsey little time in their own half.

Scrum-half Stewart Lloyd-Jones popped over a penalty from a fairly central position 30 metres out, but opposite number Noonan missed two very kickable penalties before Darren Holden's try sparked Guernsey into life.

The young winger collected a long punt downfield on the second bounce and then tore 60 metres unchallenged down the left to score the opening try on 16 minutes.

Nobody is quicker in the Guernsey club over 60 metres than Jerseyman Paul Livesey and the replacement back came on for the injured Steve Burt (hamstring) moments before skipper Carl Johnson raced clear from 30 metres out to score the second try for a 15-0 lead, which was stretched out to 20-0 by half-time, full-back Ian Johnson scoring the third try after a fine move by the backs.

Lloyd-Jones, however, was not enjoying the greatest of days with the boot and missed both conversions and a penalty attempt early in the second half before Andy Bailey scored the best try of the game.

The Guernsey centre raced fully 60 metres through the heart of the tiring Eastleigh defence and by going over under the posts Lloyd-Jones enjoyed the simplest of conversions to make it 27-0 with more than half an hour remaining.

Nobody was busier than Guernsey medic 'Doc' Andrews who spent much of the afternoon attending to injured Eastleigh players.

The visitors were going down like flies and Guernsey took advantage with two late tries for Livesey.

When Bailey intercepted 40 metres out he set up the St Sampson's School PE teacher for a try which Lloyd-Jones again converted.

The sixth and final score came just before time.

The ever-impressive James Regnard stole the ball at a scrum in his own half and within a few strides had set Livesey away with a short pass.

Livesey, socks rolled around his ankles, raced clear and after going over in the corner Lloyd-Jones produced his best kick of the afternoon to break the 40-point barrier.