North's deserved win ends 53-year wait

NORTH's long, long wait is over. The chocolate-and-blues finally ended 53 years of frustration by finally getting their hands on Jersey's Wheway Cup again following a hard-fought 3-2 victory against Jersey Scottish at Springfield last night.

The match was as close as the scoreline suggests although North could have been out of sight at half-time after a brace of goals from Tom Duff and three very good chances squandered.

To their credit, Scottish responded brilliantly in the second period. North were pressed back for long periods but they were always dangerous on the break.

And so it proved after Scottish pulled a goal back through Ross Crick.

Craig Ferey then missed a sitter from two yards to level the scores and as so often happens the opposition rides their luck and they go up the other end and score.

North did exactly that to restore their two-goal cushion following a fine piece of footwork and an excellent finish from Dave Rihoy.

Scottish responded again with all-out attack but they could add only an 87th-minute consolation goal from Ged McConnell.

'It was a fantastic game and a great result for us. Scottish pressed us hard in the second half and we managed to hold out. The lads have picked themselves brilliantly after losing the Priaulx title and I've nothing but praise for them,' said North boss Geoff Tardif.

'Yes, we could have won the game in the first half but it rarely happens that you put away all the chances you create.'

Paul de Garis made two early saves to keep Scottish at bay before the Scots gifted North the lead with some sloppy defending.

A.J. Saunders put in a cross from North's left and a mix-up in defence left Duff a simple tap-in from six yards.

Le Page and Rihoy both missed when well-placed while Saunders slipped with just the goalkeeper to beat.

A minute before the break, Saunders' shot was pushed onto a post leaving Duff to blast home the rebound.

Scottish bombarded North in the second half only for Rihoy to end their hopes with a sucker punch on the counter-attack.

North's victory retained the silverware for Guernsey after Sylvans' penalty shoot-out success against Scottish last year.