Team gold more important for number one Ogier

PHIL OGIER has emphasised that a team medal is far more important to him than individual success in Shetland. He stands on the brink of a gold with his colleagues after Guernsey beat the hosts 5-2 in yesterday evening's semi-final.

A veteran of six Island Games, the Guernsey number one produced a masterful display against tricky opponent Petrus Bronlund, of Greenland, to win the deciding seventh rubber in the group match and secure top spot for the Sarnians.

With it came that semi-final place and a guaranteed medal.

'He is playing well, better than I have seen him play at previous Games,' Ogier said of Bronlund.

'I knew I had to be at the top of my game to win.'

With the overall match score poised at 3-3, Ogier was under a great deal of pressure to produce the goods.

He got the ideal start in taking the first game before Bronlund showed good strength of character to level at 1-1, winning a tight 13-11 game.

Ogier, though, heeded the calls of teammate Phil Hunkin to 'focus' and much of what came from him from then on was top drawer.

On more than one occasion he retrieved seemingly lost causes during rallies when shots from Bronlund touched the net tape and either dribbled over or took wicked diversions making Ogier change direction.

The Guernseyman was unflustered and simply pressurised his opponent into making mistakes.

He took the third game 11-7 and then the fourth to eight to clinch his team's 4-3 victory.

'I was controlling most of the points reasonably well and I also caught him with a few good serves,' said Ogier.

'It was simply a case of handling the pressure. You do not want to put yourself in a good position and let it slip.'

The fact that he didn't let it slip was important to him because he did not want to let his teammates down.

'The team event is the most important one to me because you are working for each other and not just yourself.

'Everyone is performing well, doing their best and you cannot ask for more than that.'

He added that he was more than willing to accept the pressure of being Guernsey's 'go-to-guy' as the experienced member of the team, which also includes 16-year-old Games debutant Scott Romeril.

'They put me on in the pressure games which are either first or last in most matches. It is always important to get a good start and I think it is good to be put under pressure because you have to step up to the plate and take responsibility.

'For the players with less experience there is also pressure and they have responded to it well and put in good performances.

'Scott, for example, in this match was playing someone he expected to beat but with the match at 2-2 he had to go out and perform. He did that and won in straight games.

'So far, everyone is pleased with how it has gone.'

In this morning's final, Guernsey are up against Gotland, who won 5-2 against the Faroe Islands.