Old Victorians restore some pride for Jersey hockey

Colombians 0, Old Victorians 3

OLD VICTORIANS restored some pride for Jersey men's hockey in claiming 'Upton' honours on Saturday. After the Guernsey onslaught that took place last week in the inter-insular, the Jersey side had a point to prove as they met Investec Colombians for the second successive year to decide the CI club champions.

Colombians were missing captain Damian Wallen, Guernsey striker TJ Ozanne and the influential Phil Radford but were still confident of victory.

OVs started the game quickly and forced two early saves out of goalkeeper Andy Good.

It was, however, Colombians who won the first short corner. With Ozanne missing, the striking responsibilities fell to Chris Gill, who shot just wide with his first effort of the game.

Good running by Chris Colmer and Gill led to another short corner which was a carbon copy of the previous effort and just slid wide.

Colmer again made headway down the right wing and would have scored if not for a superb save from OVs keeper Garrett O'Brien.

Against the run of play, OVs won a short corner. It was slipped right from the top of the D for Tom Minty to slot home for the away side.

Despite going behind, good work from Matt Elston, Tristan Cairns and Tim Creasey almost levelled the score before half time.

Colombians started the better team in the second period and should have equalised through Gill who found himself in a one-on-one with O'Brien and really should have given the Jersey-man no chance.

The Sarnians put on the pressure from there and goalscorer Minty kept OVs ahead thanks to a superb stop on the line from a Colombians short-corner strike.

OVs had a couple of chances at the other end only to see their shots well saved by Good.

Mark Dicker's effort, however, turned out to be too good. After beating two defenders the OVs striker lifted the ball over the helpless keeper to double the advantage.

Colombians came back into the game quickly, again due to good running by Elston and Creasey. The pair combined to set up a decent opportunity for John Seymour who dragged the ball past the despairing dive of the OVs keeper.

It was end-to-end action, with Good again pulling off several stunning saves from first Gordon Hunt and then Dicker.

Then came the decisive moment of the game.

The ball clearly struck the foot of an OV defender inside the D but was not seen by either umpire. Both teams seemed to stop, assuming a whistle would be blown. That whistle did not come and Hunt found himself with a chance to put the game beyond Colombians. He left Good with no chance whatsoever.

The Colombians heads did not drop and they won three more short corners, which were all saved by the keeper.

At the finish and the OVs captain O'Brien said: 'It was a very even game. It is the second year we have faced each other in this fixture and it is always a well-balanced game.

'We were immense as a team in all areas of the pitch. Colombians were good on the break but we took our chances.'

Colombians' injured skipper Wallen was obviously disappointed but added: 'The game could have gone either way. We are gutted to lose but have to congratulate the OVs.'

GHA president Jason Robilliard gave the man-of-the-match award to Dicker.