North blaze through to set up all-Guernsey final

North 3, St Paul's 2

NORTH might not have been crowned champions on Saturday but a place in the Deloitte Jeremie Cup final was a very acceptable consolation. As expected, St Paul's provided tough opposition at Northfield, with both sides producing some decent football in a match that also had a fair bit of needle, typical of an inter-island clash.

But the home side scored three cracking goals, the decisive one coming just after the turnaround in extra time, to edge it and set up an all-Guernsey final against either St Martin's or Vale Rec; they meet tomorrow evening.

For North coach Geoff Tardif, this was exactly the sort of test he likes his side to have - against a very competent side, in a similar mould to his own, but having gone in with the opposition being an unknown quantity.

At the end of the game, he acknowledged that he and his troops enjoyed the challenge.

'Very much so. Both sets of players and management have said that the game was a credit to football.

'I want to win as much as anyone but we do try and play football to do it and the same could be said of St Paul's,' Tardif said.

'But I am happy that it is going to be an all-Guernsey final because over recent years we keep hearing that Jersey sides always get to these finals so it is nice to ensure the cup will be won by a Guernsey team.'

Although he would not say it, it is his Guernsey team that must be favourites now.

In the opening half-an-hour on Saturday, North could have been three or four goals to the good and out of sight if it had not been for Daniel Evans, the St Paul's goalkeeper making good saves from Dave Rihoy twice, Ross Cameron and Anthony Saunders.

In fairness, North had not been as dominant as that statistic sounds but it was they who were more penetrative while at the other end Stuart Polson and Micky Wilson were outstanding.

The home side finally made the breakthrough on 42min.

Rihoy's cross was searching for the run of Saunders but was half-blocked by a defender and Tom Duff controlled the loose ball on the chest before applying an emphatic finish on the volley.

The joy was short-lived, though, as the visitors came up with an instant reply, Lucas Parker heading home a Craig Leitch free kick.

The latter came close to putting Saints ahead right on half-time but his effort blazed over the bar.

The Jersey side continued to create more chances after the break, with Paul de Garis making two excellent stops from Glen Durrans.

However, on the hour-mark, the striker was to find the net.

He and Wilson challenged for a ball that had been played over the top and although the defender reached it first, his attempted clearance looped up over the out-rushing de Garis, leaving Durrans with a simple tap in.

But North were back on level terms within a matter of seconds as straight from the restart St Paul's conceded a free kick 20 yards out, which Veron curled around the wall and into the bottom corner.

Into extra time and once again it was Evans who was the busier of the two goalkeepers, saving from both Veron and Tom Duff in the first 15-minute period.

It was going to take something special to prevent the match being decided on penalties and it came 14 minutes from time.

Gavin Le Page played a delightful left-foot pass into the path of the breaking Veron and he did not have to break stride before smashing home a right-footed volley beyond the despairing Evans.

Once again it was the young island striker who had won the game for his side, although this victory was based around the two outstanding performances in the heart of defence.

'I do not feel that Micky Wilson and Stuart Polson have been given the credit they deserve for their consistency this season. They are the platform of the team and it is because of them we can allow other people to attack,' said Tardif.

'I would have liked for us to have wrapped it up earlier but the three goals were a bit special and that is pleasing.

'Last season we rightly received criticism for not scoring enough goals but we said then that we had to persevere because the potential was there and the three more goals today proved that.'

St Paul's manager Bill Begbie was disappointed to have lost but said that the match was a good advertisement for local football.

'It was a really exciting game; the spectators must have loved it. They had chances and we had chances and I thought both keepers played really well,' he said.