'We can go all the way'

GUERNSEY'S thumping HA Trophy victory over Leeds could set them up to battle into the final or more. Manager Andy Graham believes that his side can go even better than in last season's cup-run, possibly even as far as lifting the trophy.

'Yes, definitely,' was his immediate and positive response yesterday morning when asked whether Guernsey stood a chance.

His one slight 'maybe' concerned Maidenhead: they would be the strongest team left in the competition.

So it was with a wry grin, no doubt, that he learned of the quarter-final draw yesterday lunchtime - Maidenhead, away.

'Typical. But we've got to beat the best sometime.

'Once we get past them there is absolutely nothing left to be scared of. We are now at the same stage as we reached last year and we can go further.

'Last year we were the comeback kings. Ashford was a good game but we should have lost it. No side should have conceded two goals in the last five minutes and then go out to a golden goal, not at this level of hockey.

'They were very disappointed and rightly so.

'In the quarter-final against Marjons it was said we were unlucky, but we weren't. We just didn't do the things we should have, didn't take our chances and so we went out.'

Although pleasantly surprised at the margin of victory over Leeds, Graham said that Guernsey had long threatened to run riot in front of goal.

'We said last year that we were close to giving someone a thumping and this year we are doing that. There is a confidence growing through the side. But we can't be over-confident: this is a cup run and it takes only one bad game and we're out.'

To beat Leeds 8-2 was a fine performance, especially as the visitors had started looking assured, moving the ball quickly and confidently and playing at a much-higher pace than Guernsey had faced yet this season.

'It was a strange game; Kees Jager was probably our best player - those first couple of saves set the tone. At 3-1 it was still close, and again at 4-2, but then we hit those goals in quick succession.'

Ahead 3-0 at half-time, Guernsey were pulled back to 3-1 then 4-2, but crashed three goals in five minutes to kill the game.

The scoring blitz left some players unsure just how far ahead they were, however.

'The players coming off didn't realise what the score was: they thought it was still quite close so they were still really going for it.

'Jamie Chambers had bad blisters and came across to ask what the score was; if it had been close he would have stayed on, but we were 7-2 up at that stage.'

Graham now faces a massive quandary - how to fit 19 or 20 first XI-quality players into a squad of 16, let alone a starting side.

He and coach Nick Mahy have been helped by the exemplary attitude of the players. Each knows that the team comes first and whenever necessary, substitutes will be rolled on and off.

They have accepted the rotation and waited patiently to be sent back onto the pitch.

'It used to be that if you did not train you did not play; now it's a case of if you don't train, you're probably not going to be good enough to play,' said Graham.

'Barry Wallace had his best game in a Guernsey shirt but he's going away for a week and is worried that he might not get back in.'

The next round takes place on 21 March, the week before the inter-insulars.