Dad gives son his big island chance

STEVE OGIER has ignored the inevitable call of nepotism and chosen his eldest son, Etienne, in the Guernsey squad for today's South-West Counties League game at Foote's Lane. Also back in 17-man squad is Ogier's Saints colleague Dominic Heaume and Vale Rec's Matt Patch.

Ogier snr said he had been convinced of his right decision to choose his son after backing from his assistant, Paul Ockleford.

'You've got to go to the next best in certain positions and that's what we've done.

'He's quick and a good man-marker,' said the island boss, who is looking for a much-improved showing after the Devon defeat a fortnight ago.

'By now I had hoped to know 90% of my Muratti team.

'But after that Devon performance, it's thrown a question mark over a lot of players.'

Gloucestershire arrive bottom of the table after defeats by Devon (worryingly only 2-1) and the Navy (1-0).

But in three previous SWCC clashes, Gloucester-shire have beaten the green-and-whites twice and drawn the other.

With a depleted squad it threatens to be another disappointing day for Guernsey, who have not won an SWCC league match in two years and in seven starts.

A frustrated island boss wants more effort and work off the ball.

'It wasn't very evident against Devon,' he said yesterday.

'We need to do a lot, lot more off the ball. I don't think we did it against Devon. We need some sort of reaction from that game.'

On the Heaume selection, Ogier said he was 'an intelligent player' with a knack of scoring goals even though he 'always looks as if he's strolling'.

Patch returns having filled in well up front for Vale Rec in recent weeks. 'He's in the squad on merit.'

First-choice left-back Simon Johns also returns but on the debit side Michael Wilson and the Saints pair of Mark Coutanche and Kevin Gilligan are out injured.

Jan Renouf is suspended and Ryan Tippett forced out by the GFA's disciplinary procedures following an after-match incident on the night of the Devon defeat.