Return of Whalley helps make Guernsey too strong for the rest

THE Guernsey men's team proved to be too strong for their opponents on the opening day of the inaugural Island Hockey Tournament at Foote's Lane. The competition featured the Isle of Man and Jersey men and women's teams plus a President's Select XI and top women's league outfit Clifton.

Andy Graham's men kicked the day off with a resounding 4-2 victory over the Isle of Man and the man from south London felt his troops could have performed better, but was pleased nevertheless.

The match featured a start for juniors David Banks, David Morris and Jon Wilkes-Green and the return to the fray for England mixed-team captain Andy Whalley, who has recently returned to the island from London.

'We should have scored far more,' said the island manager.

'But it was the first game of the season. Their keeper had a stormer, but it was quite a comfortable 4-2 win.

'It was good that our youngsters have had their debut and of course Andy Whalley adds a lot. He's a very good player with a good turn of pace and he always knows where his other players are.'

The home side took the lead in the first half through Whalley and scored another soon afterwards when Wilkes-Green tapped the ball in at the right post after a well-worked short corner routine. It really was training ground stuff.

The Manx dragged one back but Whalley returned the lead back to two goals when he found himself one on one with the keeper and he rounded to score into the empty net. Guernsey's last came courtesy of a Barry Wallace drag flick from a short corner.

Following their male counterparts on the pitch were the island women against Jersey. This game ended up two apiece after Guernsey came from behind and took the lead before half-time.

Amanda de Jersey scored both the greens' goals only to see her efforts dashed halfway through the second half as Jersey debutante Emma Anderson put the ball past keeper Emma Atkinson from close range.

The Sarnian women also had another draw in their second match against Clifton, with the scoreline

1-1.

But the Guernsey men's other outing of the day was not so close as they beat the President's XI 8-2.

The Select XI was made up of island second-eleven players with the new president himself, Jason Robilliard, in goal. Jamie Chambers bagged four goals as the island team dominated things from start to finish.

In other games, Isle of Man men beat a weak Jersey side 4-2, who then fared better against the president's team with a 4-1 victory.