Reds and greens close in on titles

SYLVANS are closing in fast on their 10th Priaulx League championship in 13 seasons and Guernsey's rugby stars are edging ever closer to the London Four South-West title.c But both sides suffered scares before winning on Saturday, particularly Rob Box's GRUFC 1st XV who were heading towards their first defeat of the season until Ben Mahy went over for a late try to beat KCS Old Boys 15-11 in the UK.

Guernsey were far from their best and were really under the cosh in the opening 20 minutes.

But they survived the onslaught and some poor play on their part, to be level 5-5 at the break and sneak the victory that keeps them four points clear at the top of the table with six games remaining. Matt Morgan scored two tries in the victory.

Sylvans also lead by four after their 3-1 home win over title rivals North.

'It was a brilliant result,' said Sylvans boss Joel Avery.

'North played very well in the first half. They put us under a lot of pressure, which we withstood and then we got a goal and they bounced straight back.

'There is still a long way to go and a lot of football to be played, but I would rather be in our position now than theirs, of course.'

'It was a cracking game of football,' said Geoff Tardif, the North coach

'We dominated for 35 minutes. We were unlucky not to score and you do need that bit of luck.

'We are definitely not out of it yet. We have to keep going out and looking to win each game.'

There was a real thriller at St Andrew's where Olly Smith finally settled the Jeremie Cup semi-final in St Martin's favour in extra time.

In ridiculous, unplayable conditions, Rangers hit back from 1-3 down to force an extra half-hour.

Gareth Holden hit a hat-trick for Vale Rec in another mud-bath at the Corbet Field, but still found himself on the losing side as Bels took the three Priaulx League points at stake with a 4-3 win.

Marc McGrath and Paul O'Neill both struck twice for the in-form blue-and-whites.

In athletics, Dale Garland was in good form for an England select team at a four-way international indoor meet in Cardiff also featuring Ireland, Wales and UWIC.

Garland jumped 7.26m to place second in the long jump and was pipped on the line in the 400m, despite an encouragingly quick 47.98 on a steeply-banked circuit not suited to fast times.

'Apparently I was done on the line,' he said.

'It was a good time though. Cardiff has the worst bends in the country.'

Guernsey colleagues Lee Merrien and Mark Mercier were in the Welsh capital yesterday competing in the last race of the nationwide Reebok Cross Challenge series.

Merrien ran superbly to finish second to Angus McLean in the 4km race, while Mercier was 15th in a field of 100 runners in the under-17 junior men's event.