Colombians extend their dominance to five years

INVESTEC COLOMBIANS have made it five league titles in a row. The team with the yellow shirts, blue shorts and red socks won their latest Investec Men's Division One crown when they overcame Beavers in the play-off final on Saturday.

A crowd of more than 100 at Foote's Lane were thoroughly entertained as the action was end to end and the score was 1-1 at half time. Colombians, however, finally broke down their resilient opponents in the second half.

The previous weekend Colombians won the knockout cup and they are undoubtedly now the most successful local club.

'I'm ecstatic, the guys worked their socks off today,' said captain Kees Jager afterwards.

'I think today for 60 minutes it could have gone either way. Full credit to Beavers. They played extremely well but, unfortunately, there had to be a loser.

'When we started, we were the whipping boys. But we've worked hard, we've stuck with pretty much the same team and we're now reaping the rewards.

'Full credit to the guys.'

Colombians stalwart and former captain Phil Radford was looking to a big night of celebrating.

'I'm seriously proud of that match,' he said afterwards.

'We started so slowly this season but we've got better and better. When we started nine years ago we got gobbed for the first four so this is just so satisfying.

'It was a seriously hard game. It was a battle but it was a really enjoyable game.'

Given the way the league works, Beavers booked their place in the final by winning the first half of the season. Colombians made it there by way of taking the second.

It was Beavers who benefited on Saturday from having their Elizabeth College and university players available who had helped them to league success before Christmas, and it had looked as if they had taken an early lead.

On 12 minutes, college's Ollie Richards was at the back post to put the ball home and the goal was duly given by umpires Steve Ward and Jeff Fisher, much to the chagrin of the Colombian players who had claimed that the midfielder had kicked the ball over the line.

After a lengthy delay with a number of discussions between the umpires and the players, Richards admitted that he had used his foot and the goal was rescinded.

'Full credit to Ollie for being honest. That showed the spirit the game was played in,' said Jager.

With no one team really imposing themselves on the proceedings, it was the yellows who got the opener just before the half-hour mark when their island midfielder, Tim Creasey, followed up Damian Wallen's strike, which was saved by Beavers keeper Jason Robilliard.

'Joffy' Wilkes-Green should have equalised soon afterwards for Beavers but he went for glory with an undercut reverse strike from close in instead of going for the simple shot.

But it did not matter as a minute before half-time Barry Wallace got one past keeper Jager with a low drag flick from a short corner to level things.

It was still neck-and-neck stuff in the second half until the turning point in the match came 12 minutes after the restart.

TJ Ozanne unleashed an undercut shot on the turn that rocketed past Robilliard and high into the net.

It was a piece of magic that left the crowd on the Hockey Club balcony in raptures.

'That undercut from TJ lifted the guys and from there, there could have been only one winner,' said Jager.

Minutes later Ozanne got his second when he found himself with time and in space after Wallen had had a nifty run into the D.

Beavers turned up the heat by going three up front and had a couple of short corners that Wallace drag-flicked but to no avail.

They were reduced to 10 men after one short corner in the last 10 minutes when Fisher had had enough of Wallace's backchat and consequently sin binned him.

The match was effectively over for the dark-blues now as Colombians striker Chris Gill rubbed salt into their wounds with another two goals before the final whistle was blown.

'That could have gone either way but 3-1 probably would have been a fairer result,' said injured Beavers captain Andy Whalley, who watched from the sidelines.

'At 2-1 TJ scored a cracking goal. He was the main difference at that time and he changed the game.

'We put an extra guy up front as you've got to go for it in a final. I think they deserved it.

'Throughout the season they have been most consistent side. They play to their strengths.

'They play simple, structured hockey and we didn't have the legs to keep up with it.'

Colombians now face Jersey champions Old Victorians away in the Upton on Saturday 21 April.

'We've not won it in a few years,' said Jager.

'I don't know what they've got but I think we'll be stronger than we've been in the last few years. It'd be nice for Guernsey to bring the trophy back.'