College boys ease through

FA CUP fever hits Guernsey tomorrow when the inaugural local version of the competition gets under way. The tournament, which has attracted 31 teams, has really captured the imagination of the Bailiwick's football fraternity from Priaulx League clubs to those in the Sunday Soccer and Business Leagues alike. Even a school side is there.

Elizabeth College were one of the first teams that showed an interest in entering the competition and are the second team, after bye-receivers PwC, through to the last 16.

They were due to play AS Wings on Saturday but the Sunday Soccer League cup holders were unable to raise a side.

The students have a pretty useful squad at their disposal, too, including Junior Muratti starting striker Ross Allen and a couple of other island under-18 squad members in Tom Le Tissier and Piers Ockleford.

A couple of last year's Star Trophy heroes - Andrew Rigden and Ben Whitchurch - are there as well.

The local business teams, who usually have to be content to play competitively against each other only, are also relishing their chance of being in the spotlight.

'We can't wait,' said Neil Carre, the man in charge of the Specsavers team who face Monty's Deliveries of the SSL Division Two in the first round.

'We do not know much about them, we have never seen them play, but we have got a good side and we are playing well at the moment - we won our first league game of the season last weekend.

'Hopefully we will get through and see what the second-round draw throws up.'

Being one of the larger employers on the island, there is a chance that a good size crowd will descend on Port Soif to watch Specsavers' tie on Sunday afternoon.

Carre, and the GFA of course, hope that will be the case.

'We were in the Business League Cup final last season and we put a bulletin around about it, but we did not have that good a turnout.

'We are hoping to have a good turnout this time though. We are advertising it around here and it is the FA Cup so it is something different for everyone,' said Carre.

Familiar names in the Specsavers registrations include former Muratti defender Dave Gilman, although he will not feature against Monty's.

'I am not fit at the moment, but the plan is for me to play a few games in the Business League this season and hopefully they will get through the first round so I can maybe play for them in the FA Cup,' Gilman said.

Who knows, he might even get the chance to face his GFA club Sylvans, at some point and although Carre admitted that his side would probably be heavily beaten by one of the top Priaulx teams, he added: 'we would like to have a go at some stage.'

One of the great things about this competition is that it could allow them to do that.