HOCKEY: The stakes are raised

Following the success of last year’s event that saw the Guernsey men’s and women’s squads take on Island Students sides of local players returning from their studies to give the competition-starved representative teams some action during the pandemic, the gauntlet has been thrown down again, with the contests now holding greater significance with a trip to Jersey pencilled in for March.

‘I’m sure it will be a similar game to last time, which was very competitive,’ said Guernsey men’s coach Andy Good, whose side emerged 3-0 victors in the inaugural match.

‘Those lads [the students] are playing at a really good level in England, it was just the fact that they do not have much time together as a squad that made a difference last year – they are a bit like the Barbarians in rugby.

‘But it is great to have a game like this, to have those boys come back and play against an Island team shows you the quality of players available for Guernsey. It is a testament to the programmes in place that we can put games like this on.

‘From our team’s point of view, I would like to think that we will do some things a bit better than we did against Jersey last month and we will treat this as a proper match as preparation looking ahead to when we go over there in March.’

Guernsey retained the inter-insular cup by virtue of being the holders following the 4-4 draw with the Caesareans at Footes Lane, but there are several changes to the squad who featured that day. Several regulars such as Tom Still, Adie Peacegood, Andy Whalley and Andrew Dawson-Ball are unavailable. Turn to Page 35

Good will take the chance to look as some fresh faces including Indies forward Brad Norman and Elizabeth College midfielder Jake Swaisland.

The coach was also pleased to report that Sam Dawes will be in the frame for the next inter-insular, too, although he will miss out on Monday due to illness.

‘It’s a shame because I was looking forward to see him play and he was keen to come back,’ Good said.

‘He adds more depth and quality to the squad and is the sort of guy we needed against Jersey first time around.

‘Brad Norman has done really well for Indies this season, he is dead keen and he gets a chance because he deserves it.

‘Jake Swaisland has done really well for EC and Indies in the league, he is another young player coming through and being up against university players will give him a marker of where he is at.

‘Being able to bring in the likes of Brad, Jake and Jacob Gomes showcases the breadth of talent we have in the island. We are missing four or five guys yet I’m able to pick a team still capable of competing at a high level.’

Good admitted that conceding a late equaliser against Jersey last month still rankles with him and he is already eager to get the chance to face the old enemy again, with Monday’s run out offering an important opportunity to work on certain aspects of their game in a match situation.

‘I was a bit disappointed we did not hold on. I wanted to win the game, I felt we were in control but we did not see it out,’ he said.

‘Ultimately we came away with a result we did not want and what we are looking for is to make sure we manage the game better and retain the ball better in crucial moments.’

Monday’s double-header will start with the women’s match at 11am followed by the men’s encounter at 12.30pm.