Bels in hunt for Youth One treble

RAY QUERIPEL is on a mission - the treble. His under-18 Bels squad is still on course to win a trio of Youth One silverware.

Already the holders of the Loveridge Cup, they also have an outside chance of the Youth One Championship and last Wednesday evening reached the Old Vic final.

The blue-and-whites were the first team to win the Old Vic way back in 1923 and are also the holders.

Their semi-final success against Vale Rec at the Corbet Field was full of incidents.

Joby Bourgaize scored a fine hat-trick and then went off injured with a recurring groin strain.

Referee Paul Porter also left the pitch midway through the second period with an Achilles tendon injury and was replaced by Colin Wherry.

Bels took the lead, inevitably, with goal-poacher Marc McGrath putting them ahead after a delicious ball from Chris King found him unmarked in the area.

Bourgaize added the second, but Bels were given a scare when Simon Le Pelley squeezed the ball past Rhys Gower just before the interval to make it 2-1.

The second half produced some fine possession play from both sides, but Queripel's troops had the extra touch of class to finish off the brave fightback from the Corbet Field lads who fielded five Youth Two players.

Bourgaize completed his hat-trick to make the final score 4-1.

Referee Rob Dover came under fire from the crowd for booking a Vale Rec junior who had come back on to the field of play after being injured without his permission, but Dover was only following the letter of the law.

But surely that rule is ridiculous? Why should a player have to leave the pitch when injured, anyway?

It has slowed the game and given referees something else to think about. What on earth is happening to our game?

While I am on my soapbox, does anyone really understand the new offside law?

Referees are becoming more important than the players and the game these days and I'm sure they would prefer it the other way around.

Anyway, Bels will now meet Sylvans in the final on Tuesday 20 April.

Sylvans beat St Martin's 3-0 in the other semi-final at St Peter's last week.

On Friday evening, North beat Vale Rec 3-0 in the semi-final of the Martyn Le Prevost Memorial Trophy, the goals coming from Jamie Le Cheminant, Douglas Edwards and a last-minute solo effort from Matt Loaring.

North dominated the game and felt they had two valid penalty appeals waved away by referee Brent Blondel.

Vale Rec danger man Martyn Moullin was nullified in midfield by James Mullen and their neighbours from across the road were restricted to few opportunities in front of goal. The chocolate-and-blues will play Rangers in the final on Monday 19 April.

Sunday afternoon was a good time if you were a Bels Youth Three player.

They found the back of the net four times at St Andrew's.

Rob William, Brady Lesbirel, Alan Opie and Stefan Taylor scored for the visitors and William also scored for Rangers with an own goal.