Gillease: ‘It was our best 45 minutes of the season’

‘I thought it was the best football we have played all season – the passing and movement in general were excellent and we were clinical as well,’ said the league leaders’ coach of his side’s six-goal bonanza on the KGV 3G.

‘I said before the game that Alderney would try and make it tough, but I thought it would favour us playing on that carpet because it suited our strengths more. No disrespect to Alderney, their normal game is more direct and they do it very well, but I thought if we could get the ball down and pass it as I know we can, it [the pitch] would play into our hands.

‘I must admit, I was not expecting that burst of goals though. It was great to watch and everyone seemed to enjoy playing in it.’

He added that his half-time message was simply not to concede because it would be hard to continue at that level throughout the 90 minutes.

Gillease, who revealed that he withdrew Grundy early in the second half despite him being on a hat-trick so as not to risk a booking that would have meant a suspension, gave special praise to Frank Tobin, who was one of the Rovers trio who netted a brace apiece along with Blair Howitt and James Grundy.

‘Frank ran the game, I thought, and that second goal where he just took off from his own half showed his pace and power and finishing it like he did was brilliant,’ said the coach, who also enjoyed the classy performance of Carlos Canha.

‘Carlos was getting in that little pocket of space between their defence and midfield where they did not know who should pick him up and that assist for Blair’s first goal with the outside of his right foot was really nice.

‘He is great to watch because he has got that swagger of a quality player, but he is also a dream to coach because of his attitude – he is always at training and he is always smiling and enjoying it.’

Rovers are now on 31 points, six clear at the top of the table going into the Christmas break having played one game more than Sylvans in second. St Martin’s, who have three games in hand on the leaders, are third on 23.

‘I would always rather have the points in the bag than have games in hand,’ said Gillease.

‘I’m delighted with how the first half of the season has gone. It’s been a bit of a learning curve and we have probably dropped some points we shouldn’t have done, but I think we have adapted well because we have had a big injury list.

‘We are blessed with a good squad, though, and I think getting Frank Tobin in has been massive for us because he is so adaptable,’ the coach added.