Drawing a blank

Vale Rec 0, Sylvans 0

THIS draw last night did neither side any favours. Both coaches agreed that it was the right result at the Corbet Field but in their respective quests for a top three spot and Wheway Cup football next season, Chris Hamon and Martyn de Garis saw this as two points dropped.

Perhaps more importantly, it moved North closer to the title as the westerners, their nearest challengers, now trail by eight points with both teams having six fixtures remaining.

Rec, who have played 20 games, have joined Bels (played 18) and St Martin's (20) on 32 points, which is two behind Sylvans.

'Both teams put the effort in but neither gave enough for either keeper to do.

'A goalless draw has to be a fair result if you are not going to shoot,' said Vale Rec coach Hamon.

It was an apt summing up of the game.

Hamon's side were marginally the better in the first half and created the only two noteworthy attempts on goal as Jason Sarahs went close with a looping effort and Mark Romeril warmed Paul de Garis's hands with a long range shot.

Driven on by Matt Warren, Sylvans livened up after the break with Jody Bisson making decent saves from Danny Felbabel and Lee Renouf in the first couple of minutes, although the Rec captain never looked troubled.

At the other end, Ashley Williams replaced de Garis in goal for the second half and was given little to do although James Coquelin shaved a post with a snap shot from 30 yards.

'The effort was good and we played some good football at times but I felt the draw was the right result,' said Sylvans coach de Garis, who hopes to have some of his absentees back for Saturday's Fletcher Sports FA Cup quarter-final with Bels. Among those on the injured list last night were Ryan Tippett, Steve Brehaut, Piers Ockleford and Tom Strawbridge.

Hamon, who revealed that Malcolm Symons could be out for the foreseeable future,

was without several first teamers as well.

'There were some half- decent performances and I am not too disappointed, but the players know that we did not work enough shooting opportunities,' he said.

'We were lacking that killer ball in the final third of the pitch. There was not enough care put in it.'

n A minute's silence was held before the game in memory of former Vale Rec committee member Ken Duquemin.