Priaulx's best blaze way into the semi-final

South Western League 0, C&W Priaulx League 2

GUERNSEY played as a team with a point to prove on Saturday. It seems the 'Big Issue' debate which has run in the Guernsey Press for the last couple of weeks gave them an extra incentive for their clash with the South Western League. They wanted to show just what they are capable of. So credit where credit is due - the C&W Priaulx League side were magnificent in St Blazey.

As manager Steve Ogier was quick to emphasise after the final whistle, there is plenty of room for improvement, but for now his players deserve a huge pat on the back for this outstanding effort when they proved themselves to be undoubtedly a better footballing side than their opponents.

The defence were solid throughout as Jody Bisson's clean knees at the end could testify to, the midfield tireless and industrious while in attack Jon Veron ran his socks off and Dominic Heaume linked up well in his usual, cultured manner.

If you were looking for a fault, it was that the green-and-whites perhaps should have had a greater lead at the interval. As Ogier put it: 'We could have gone in three up and we were mindful that we did not want that to come back and haunt us.'

It didn't.

The large Blaise Park pitch, home of St Blazey AFC who supplied five of the SWL squad, was remarkably firm but also bumpy and not conducive to playing 'sexy' football.

However, in the first half the Sarnians gave it a good go.

Much of their joy came down the right where full back Darren Martin, who was arguably man of the match, and Scott Bradford were excellent and they were often aided by the lively Veron who made the home side's centre backs look cumbersome time after time.

It was such a huge shame that Dave Rihoy had to hobble off after only 10 minutes as he succumbed to a hip injury because you got the feeling from a very early stage that he would have terrorised the SWL defence.

He had already forced goalkeeper Jason Chapman into a good reflex save after Heaume had charged down a clearance. Ian Gosling then blocked follow-up efforts from both Veron and Rihoy.

In fairness, the latter's replacement Tom Duff certainly played his role in the win and the side as a whole did not let the loss of Rihoy affect them.

It was the Martin-Bradford combination that created the next chance for the island on 20min. but a flying Veron just failed to connect with his attempted diving header after a dangerous cross from his North teammate.

Eight minutes later, Bisson was forced into his only real save of the game and it was a beauty as he managed to get a fingertip to Mark Vercesi's shot after the back four had looked to play the striker offside.

The ball was soon back at the other end of the park, though, as Bradford won the ball out on the right flank and played a peach of a pass over the top for Veron to run onto and force Chapman into another decent save.

Olly McKenzie would have been disappointed with his delivery from the resultant corner, which failed to beat the front man, but he made the most of his next chance seconds later as he whipped in an inswinging cross that a back-pedalling Chapman could only help into the net to give Guernsey a deserved lead.

Three minutes before the break Bradford came agonisingly close to doubling the advantage but dragged his shot just wide after another fine build-up down the right involving the Bels man, Martin and Veron.

The Sarnians nearly saw all their good work undone in the opening minute of the second half, though, as Gosling clipped an inviting free kick into the box and an unmarked Vercesi headed over. His subsequent reaction of lying on the floor with his head in his hands showed that he had just missed a golden chance.

Guernsey then had to weather a sustained period of pressure lasting a full 20 minutes but they dealt with everything thrown at them with Leighton Chainey and James McColl rocks in central defence, while ahead of them Bradford, Duff, Matt Warren and Gavin Le Page endlessly harried their opponents.

Crucially, once the visitors had regained their foothold in the match, they took the first chance they created in the half to seal victory.

It came on 73min. when McKenzie nodded down Bradford's corner kick and Heaume managed to turn inside a packed six-yard box and force the ball home.

After that there was no coming back for the hosts and the exhausted Sarnians could look forward to a semi-final trip to Cambridgeshire.