Last Upton heroes look in as Bels close on title

THE world was a very different place the last time Belgrave Wanderers were in an Upton Park final. The season was 1959-60, but despite a team amazingly described by some as the poorest to wear blue-and-white for some years, Bels narrowly edged out North to claim their first Priaulx title for 13 years.

They went into the Upton against Jersey's Oaklands, who were making their first appearance in the showcase final.

Not that Bels were much more experienced. They had made the Upton only twice previously, losing to Jersey's National Rovers in 1920 and enjoying more success in 1947 when beating Beeches 3-0.

Bels were led by the legendary Les Collins and the left winger gave his side the best possible start. After just five minutes he received the ball on his favoured wing, cut inside, and from the angle of the penalty box beat goalkeeper Elstone with a 'daisy cutter'.

Collins' wing partner that day, and for much of a decade or more, was Peter Powell.

The inside-left was described as scheming and unassuming, but his performance on the most important day was seen as one of his best ever.

Football scribe Rex Bennet felt sure that Powell had earned a place in the Muratti side for the following week, but he was not selected and never played an inter-insular.

Powell, still working part-time at Norman Piette and playing table tennis, the sport which he devoted himself to on his football retirement, earned island selection just once, in a showbiz match. He managed a hat-trick, although he admitted that his favoured role was as goal-maker, rather than goal-taker.

'Les told me many times that I was his best partner playing inside him,' he recalled this week.

'We had a very good understanding.

'I enjoyed my football as a feeder, rather than a scorer. I scored a few goals, but I preferred to play the through balls for the others.'

Powell also recalled much of the Upton final, including Collins' goal.

'Les had a very good shot on him. In my eyes he was the most gifted player Guernsey's ever had. He used to like to keep the ball, but he was good at beating players.'

Powell joined Bels as a teenager on his arrival in the island and never played for another club.

On the right-wing was a youthful Don Batiste, the youngest in the side at 22 - though he would be a veritable veteran in the modern-day Bels team.

Batiste earned island caps in a much-travelled career. He started at Sylvans but gave his best years to the Bels before he retired in his mid-20s after getting married.

A couple of years later he returned to football with Athletics, but when they folded at the end of that season, he moved to Vale Rec and featured in the exciting Tony Williams revolution at the Corbet Field, which should have seen them break St Martin's stranglehold on the league through the 1960s.

'It was quite a good team,' he remembered. 'Apart from Les Collins, we didn't have too many stars, but we had a very good team spirit. We gelled well together.'

Batiste recalled Rex Diamond collecting a nasty injury which saw him spend the second half on Batiste's wing, as the youngster moved inside.

Diamond, described as lion-hearted, had his head swathed in bandages and a badly-bruised shoulder, but in those pre-substitute days, he saw out the 90 minutes. The so-called prince of the penalty-takers, he actually missed from the spot before his injury.

But Bels were already two goals to the good, Morris Gallienne having added to Collins' opener with a drive from the edge of the area.

And Batiste recognised the sterling efforts of Roy Lucas, who silenced Oaklands' star centre forward David Parker, and veteran Vince Tostevin, who was called in the previous day to replace appendicitis victim Brian Robilliard. Goalkeeper Les Pasquier also starred.

Little Johnny Queripel, noted for his opportunism in front of goal, took a pass from his brother Roy and rounded his marker before completing the scoring. Oaklands earned a late consolation from Muratti star Nash Venton.

Batiste hit the post with a header late on, though he could not recall it.

'I've slept a lot since then,' he said.

Neither of the Bels heroes of yesteryear has seen many games recently, though Powell intends to see today's Vale Rec match.

Batiste also intends to catch up with his old team before the end of the season, if indoor bowls commitments allow.