One more 'big gun' faces early cup exit

TWO of the Priaulx League's sides are set to clash in round two of the FletcherSports FA Cup. League leaders Bels travel to St Peter's to face Sylvans with both coaches looking forward to the contest.

'At least it's going to be a competitive game,' said Ogier after Bels' 23-0 hammering of Martel's Garden World in the last round.

'You've got to beat everyone to win it, so it doesn't really matter when you have to play other Priaulx sides.'

Sylvans coach Joel Avery admitted it was going to be a tough game but something to which his side would be looking forward.

'We'd have quite liked to have avoided another GFA side at this stage but are fully aware we were going to have to play them at some stage, so we're not too worried,' added Avery.

The remaining Priaulx teams avoided each other in a draw that sees North and Vale Rec both away to the Post Office and Indian Cottage respectively, while St Martin's face Rothschild at Blanche Pierre Lane and Rovers entertain Core Focus at Port Soif.

In other matches, Long Port play Courts and the Clubhouse Casuals face Collins Stewart.

The Casuals' coach, John Beasley, is reasonably happy with a draw that he thinks is fairly similar to the last round.

'It's a bit of an adventure for the lads and they just want to go as far as they can.'

'Deep down they'd rather go out to one of the big boys and test themselves against a Priaulx side, but they know that when that happens, it's likely to mean the end of their footy season.'

The remaining tie of the last 16 pits two Business League sides against each other in the shape of Royal Bank of Canada and Specsavers.

Both will know each other's game inside out after battling it out five times in matches over the pre-season.

Specsavers enjoyed the upper hand in these fixtures and with a large workforce to call upon for players and supporters, captain Simon Martel is, not surprisingly, confident of success.

'We're quite pleased with the draw as we were looking to avoid the Priaulx sides and last year we got to the second round so we're looking to go one better this time around,' said the former Sylvans defender.

RBC captain Dave Le Feuvre has pencilled in the first weekend of December for his comeback from the injury he suffered in the first round and like Martel is pleased to avoid the big GFA teams.

'I'm fairly happy with that as it's not a bad draw and could have been a lot worse.

'We're just glad to avoid the Priaulx sides till they're all knocked out,' said Le Feuvre.

The matches are scheduled to be played over the weekend of 3 December.

* Jersey's under-18s are out of the FA County Youth Cup following a 1-0 home defeat by Surrey.

The Caesareans were punished for failing to clear their line as a great strike by substitute Joe Taylor on 49 minutes sealed a Surrey victory.

Guernsey are already safely through to the second roung where they play Suffolk away the weekend after next.