Monthly award for rampant Rihoy

DAVE RIHOY is the Cable and Wireless player of the month for September. Rihoy's performances have at times been electrifying and none more so than last week's hat-trick against the Reading Leading in the first round of the FA National League System Cup.

It was after that performance that island manager Steve Ogier claimed he was probably the best player in the Channel Islands.

That sort of accolade does not surprise former North manager Geoff Tardif, who worked with Rihoy from the age of 10.

'I was always struck how tiny he was and some people tried to suggest that this might hold him back in the future, but he always showed that he had the attributes to be a great player,' he said.

Tardif remembers Rihoy impressing when he took the youngster away for trials at Bristol City.

'The coaches there said he had all the qualities they were looking for, but they were very strong in his age group already. It's a shame we couldn't have taken him to more professional clubs at the time.'

Rihoy started the month drawing a blank in North's 2-0 defeat to Bels, but he was still the best North player on display by some distance.

A clinical first half hat-trick in a 4-1 win against Rovers at Port Soif were his first goals of the season and a week later he scored the winner against Vale Rec in a match which saw him terrorise their defence all day.

He carried this fine form into the Guernsey Priaulx League's game against Reading FL.

Rihoy finished clinically for his first, tore clear of the defence and rounded the keeper for his second before winning the match with a delightful lob over the keeper to complete his hat-trick.

In North's final game of the month against St Martin's, Rihoy scored his eighth and ninth of the season in a 7-0 victory.

If he keeps on going like this Tardif is sure he'll turn into one of the greats of island football because of his great attitude towards the game.

'The thing with Dave, he never missed training and was always willing to learn. He's also very humble, he doesn't go out there and try to showboat.'

Marc McGrath claimed the August award and like Rihoy wins a mobile phone for his efforts.

The Bels frontman was in red-hot form over August, scoring six goals in three games.

His two double strikes against Sylvans and Vale Rec helped Bels to 2-1 and 3-1 victory respectively.

McGrath then ensured Bels remained undefeated for the month by scoring two late goals against St Martin's, including an unstoppable piledriver that screamed into the net off the post.