Goal-shy Vale lose and Bels steal in

IT WAS just one of those days for Vale Rec's struggling first team on Saturday. As the saying goes, they could have played all day and not scored.

Chris Hamon's men played some impressive football against their Grand Fort Road neighbours North at the Corbet Field, but could not make the breakthrough for love nor money in their final Cable & Wireless Priaulx League game of the season.

They made the brighter opening of the two sides and halfway through the first half they were presented with a golden opportu-nity to make their pressure tell.

Brent Blondel's right-wing cross just carried over Trim Morgan, who had burst into the box, but it struck Steve Ozanne on the arm. The fullback could well have been un-sighted due to Morgan's run, but he made no complaints when Andy Priaulx pointed to the spot.

However, goalkeeper Paul de Garis came to his rescue with a fine stop diving to his left and pushing Gareth Holden's kick around the post.

Five minutes later, James Coquelin's long-range volley smacked the foot of the same upright and soon after that Dave Woodhead fired wide at the end of a slick move involving Morgan, Holden and Blondel.

The hosts created another good chance just after the interval, with Morgan doing excellently to cut the ball back from the byline, but Blondel blazed his first time volley over from only a few yards out.

On 56min., they were made to pay for their misses as Mark Elliott handled when jumping for a corner kick and Jon Veron drove home the penalty.

Vale continued to knock the ball around and create openings but none of them was taken as de Garis, Stuart Polson, Micky Wilson and substitute keeper Steve Gibson all made vital blocks at one time or another.

'If you don't stick it in the net, you don't win football matches,' said Hamon afterwards.

The result meant that Bels were guaranteed to finish in fourth above Vale, but Micky Ogier's side still ended their Priaulx campaign with a victory as Darragh Duffy scored the only goal against Rangers at the Track.

Bels meet Vale Rec in the semi-final of the Rawlinson Cup on Wednesday, 24 hours after Rovers play Sylvans in the other last four clash.

Both matches are at the Track.