Goal-hungry Guernsey leave Leeds shattered

Guernsey 8, Leeds 2

WHAT a hammering. Guernsey produced a free-scoring performance that had even the opposition coach applauding in admiration.

The Sarnians stormed into the quarter-finals of the Harrod UK HA Trophy thanks to a victory that will make every other team left in the draw sit up and take notice.

'We said before the game that we had a squad that could score from anywhere and that's what we've shown,' said Guernsey manager Andy Graham.

Two goals apiece from Andy Alford, Damien Wallen and Dave Enevoldsen and strikes from Andy Bell and Rob Newton gave the greens a most impressive and deserved margin of victory.

'For the first 20 minutes I thought we were in a tight match. But there were so many players on the pitch who could score goals for us.'

Leeds' manager Simon Batty was magnanimous in defeat.

'We were well beaten by a better side. We had a couple of short-corners early on and if we had scored the match could have worked out differently. But the Guernsey keeper pulled off two great saves. He is big, but he's quick and has great reactions,' he said.

Kees Jager was excellent again. The keeper showed why he has represented England at age-group level, denying Leeds half a dozen times at short-corners.

The two that did beat him were top-drawer strikes from Leeds skipper Glen Hayes, both right in the bottom corner to Jager's left.

But that was the limit of the visitors' chances. Kevin Doyle was not overly missed as Richard Veillard slotted into centre back and looked immediately at home. The back four were so strong, it gave the midfield and attack the freedom to push forward at every opportunity.

Leeds approached the match with more verve than previous visitors Wednesbury, forcing a high tempo and producing some slick interplay. Centre back Phil Love was a classy defender and Abby Hakim had slick stick speed.

After the first Guernsey goal, however, Leeds looked a little surprised and Guernsey capitalised on their laxity to crack in two more before the break.

Wallen set Guernsey on their way with a firmly driven short-corner strike. Alford doubled the advantage from the top of the D, cracking in a great strike after TJ Ozanne had bustled his way to the by-line and pulled the ball back.

And when Alford squeezed a mis-hit through Sam Read's legs from the left of the D two minutes later, the greens were flying.

Two minutes after the break Hayes hit his first, only for Newton to spin and push the ball in to round off a fine burst down the right from Adam Kitching.

Again Hayes pulled one back, but the introduction of the fresh legs of Bell, Enevoldsen and Craig Tiffany further tormented the blues' defence.

Enevoldsen beat three men before embarrassing Read at his left post to make it 5-2 then left three defenders in his wake as he drove to the by-line to set up Bell for the sixth, though the ball barely crossed the line as Read desperately flung out his stick.

A minute later Bell was fouled as he shaped to shoot and Wallen confidently placed the penalty flick to the keeper's left.

There was still time for an eighth, Alford freeing Bell on the left and his centre turned in on the volley by Enevoldsen.