LISTEN: Rovers defender Tom Strawbridge's views on the FNB Priaulx League title race
STILL advantage St Martin’s and a very significant one suggested Rovers’ boss Kevin Gillease after a tense 1-1 draw at a chilly Port Soif.
‘It was a must-win for us, but more of a must-not-lose than anything,’ said Gillease, whose side remain four points clear of both Saints and Sylvans – 1-0 winners in Alderney – but having played three more than the men from Blanche Pierre Lane.
‘It is as you were and we know what we have got to do. We can only win the games in front of us and hope that someone takes some points off of them, which I think someone will,’ said the still optimistic Gillease.
‘We have just got to hope they slip up.’
Leon Meakin looked understandably content with the point, even if it allowed Sylvans to gain ground.
‘I was disappointed we didn’t win to be honest, having started the game really brightly.
‘A draw was a fair result and either team could have been happy to win it, disappointed to lose it. It was a good game considering the cross-wind.
‘It [the result] keeps everything interesting, keeps everyone close together. I’m happy enough.’
Rovers came into the game without star striker Carlos Canha who had to work.
Gillease had been alerted early in the week it was likely to happen, but still named his top scorer on the bench just in case he could squeeze free. But it never happened.
Frank Tobin fired Rovers ahead only for Dom Heaume to level.
‘We started sloppy and I wasn’t happy. But once we got a foot in the midfield we grew into the game and the goal changed it,’ said Gillease.
‘After Frank’s goal we were a different team after.
‘We are snatching at our chances and I don’t know why. We were scoring goals for fun at the start of the season. We had the chances to win the game.’
In Alderney, Harvey Lihou’s goal settled it for a Sylvans side now unbeaten in 15 league matches.
‘Defensively we were very good, but in attack we let us ourselves down,’ said Sylvans boss Martyn de Garis.
‘It was a dull affair to be honest. Not much happened, it was windy and a bumpy surface,’ he added.
Alderney finished with nine men, having had two men dismissed for two yellows.
Belgraves moved up to fourth with a 1-0 win over Manzur while Northerners won 2-1 at Rangers.
