Bels ready to punish the bookies

Vale Rec 1, Bels 2

BELS players have the pound signs in their eyes, not to mention the reflection of a glistening Priaulx League cup. Micky Ogier's men stand to pick up thousands between them courtesy of the highly-generous odds given them to win the title by a local bookmaker.

Only the most spectacular of collapses can seemingly stop them now after this hard-fought but ultimately deserved win over the league's other form side, on a pudding of a pitch which hardly suited Ogier's lightweight side.

A goal down for 16 first-half minutes, Bels hauled up their sleeves and having levelled through Marc McGrath just before the break dominated the second period and won it courtesy of super-sub Danny Felbabel 19 minutes from time.

The big downside was the freak injury to their island midfielder Joby Bourgaize, which could keep him out for a month or more.

Ogier's smile of satisfaction at the end was of a man who knows the title is in sight.

Nor did he disagree that Vale just about shaded the first half.

'The first half we were a bit slow in coming out of the blocks. But we totally done them in the second half.

'I thought Ben Coulter and Billy Page were exceptional for two 16-year-olds,' said the title-winning boss-elect.

And so they were, not only for their natural skills but fantastic fitness and work rate on a heavy, strength-sapping pitch.

While Page was the star of the show at one end and Coulter in the middle, skipper Leighton Chainey was again the man keeping it all together at the back.

At 30, only fellow defender de la Haye is more senior than Chainey who only on Friday was licking his lips at the thought of lifting the trophy and the end-of-season pay day.

But for a long while it was Vale, masterfully organised by Chris Hamon off the pitch and centre-back James McColl on it, who held the edge.

Vale's committed, forceful approach had Bels' lightweights rattled and it was no great surprise when Marc Rihoy rammed them in front from close range on 25 minutes.

Lee Ogier wasted a super chance to double the home side's lead and four minutes before the break McGrath headed the leaders level from Simon Marley's pinpoint cross to the back post.

Bels were a different side after the break, probably rattled by a few choice words from their manager.

Youngster Marcus Queripel came on for de la Haye at left-back and Bourgaize was switched out to the right with Bradford moving central.

The move worked a treat and Page won a penalty on the hour mark, defender Shaun Robert tugging him back when about to shoot.

By the letter of the law ref Pete Davison could have walked the central defender but instead chose to brandish only a yellow and Bels' unhappiness was multiplied when Joby Bisson flung himelf to his right and superbly parried Chris King's spot-kick.

Five minutes later Robert escaped dismissal again.

His late challenge propelled Bourgaize into a floodlight stanchion and, bizarrely, neither ref nor nearby linesman could recall who committed the infringement when, after more than a minute, the play came to a stop and the official looked to take belated action.

Bels fans and players were fuming but they were quickly chilled by a second goal.

Felbabel had been on the pitch five minutes when Page turned and danced away from a bewildered Robert and pulled the ball back for the sub striker to shoot home from 10 yards.

Felbabel, whose pitch time is being limited by a troublesome groin strain, might have had a couple more as Bels continued to press, but he'd done his job and nobody involved with the blue-and-whites was complaining.