‘We’ll battle until last minute of last game’

It reaches its dramatic conclusion over the next six days and there is hardly a chance for anyone to catch a breath as the two remaining contenders return to action today just 48 hours after St Martin’s closed the gap on Rovers to just three points with a game in hand.

With Saints having the momentum and, on paper, the easier task this evening as they visit bottom-side Bels while Rovers return to the Corbet Field to face Vale Rec nine days after Jody Bisson’s side held them to a 2-2 draw, the gap could be closer still or even non-existent by the time the top two clash at Port Soif on Saturday.

However, Saints coach Leon Meakin is not looking any further ahead than tonight’s encounter at the Track.

‘Next up is Bels and we’ve got to beat them on Thursday, that’s all we are thinking of at the moment. Win that one, hopefully, and then we can think about Saturday,’ he said after Tuesday’s 3-2 win over North.

That clash at Blanche Pierre Lane saw all five goals scored in the second half, with the visitors taking the lead through River Marsh before Kyle Smith and Louis Hunter put the hosts ahead.

Tom Fitchet then equalised for North before Danny Hale secured all three points for Saints with a penalty that he rifled into the top corner.

‘Danny admitted he slipped, believe it or not, but he took it well. They were all good goals,’ Meakin said.

‘I think we showed massive character, coming from behind and then North pegging us back again.

‘To keep going shows the firepower we’ve got in the side and the hunger and desire to keep battling on to the last minute of the last game if that’s what it takes – we will hang in there for as long as we can.

‘We sort of set ourselves the goal a few weeks ago to try and win every game – we slipped up against Alderney, but if we win the last three it’s up to us.’

Bels versus Saints kicks off at 7.30pm today, while Vale Rec against Rovers starts at 8pm.