Rangers' demise gives others hope

SEVEN ties remain in the last 16 of the Fletcher Sports Guernsey FA Cup this weekend. Specsavers are already through to the quarter-finals and with Rangers having been felled by Longport in round one, just six Priaulx teams are left.

That number will definitely become five with Sylvans meeting Bels at St Peter's tomorrow afternoon while the other four will look to avoid being the victims of any kind of giant killing.

Rovers, who currently lie at the foot of the Priaulx table, may be some people's tip for an upset as they host Corefocus at Port Soif, but coach Ian Ozanne is confident that this won't be the case.

'Our current form is very good. We've not been conceding as many goals as we were five or six weeks ago and Matt Mauger's recent performances have been really good.

'His performances in goal have given the backline a lot more confidence and we're still creating chances at the other end, which is important.

'Underdogs always have the chance to cause an upset and I'll admit we don't know a lot about Corefocus, but on the day, you hope your Priaulx players would have too much for them.'

St Martin's, like Rovers, have home advantage for the visit of current Business League leaders Rothschild.

Their captain, Martyn Le Page, said his team were targeting a victory after winning seven of their nine league games this season.

'We're going out there to win and we'll just play our own game and see what happens,' said Le Page.

'We played at Blanche Pierre Lane in the last round against Le Bees, so we are quite familiar with the pitch and its size, so that shouldn't be a problem.'

Rothschild will also be able to call on several players with Priaulx experience, including George Prow, Mark Coutanche, Adam Kennedy and Paul Garrard who, Le Page believes, all make the team stronger to the one that lost at the same stage last year.

Vale Rec face a tricky away tie on Sunday afternoon against Indian Cottage who lie second in the Sunday Soccer League.

Cottage's trainer and coach, Wayne de Carteret, looks to Rangers defeat to Longport in the competition as inspiration.

'It's a cup game and there's always a chance and with Rangers losing it shows it can be done, but we're realistic enough to know we could be on a hiding to nothing.

'Playing at Victoria Avenue could give us an advantage as we're quite used to it and it's a bit smaller and tighter than some other pitches.'

With a number of former Vale Rec players in the Cottage squad, including Duncan Staples and Craig Le Lerre, the match will be a homecoming of sorts believes de Carteret.

'Hopefully that will spur them on, but I imagine the superior fitness of the Priaulx side could tell, but we have Paul Prior of Rangers playing for us so that will definitely help.'

In other matches, North face the Post Office at St Andrew's on Saturday and Longport host Courts on Sunday at Beau Sejour.