LISTEN: Saints book Wheway final spot ahead of Upton showdown

The Priaulx League champions advanced to the Wheway Cup final with a 3-1 victory over Rovers, who dominated much of the first half at Port Soif but found themselves two down at the break after goals from Dom Heaume and Louis Hunter.

Rovers pulled one back midway through the second half before Callum Le Lacheur sealed Saints’ spot in the final with a half-volley.

‘It was important that we won to keep our positive momentum going into the weekend’s Upton and, besides a dead leg and a few blisters, the squad came through the game relatively unscathed while everybody got valuable minutes in the tank, too,’ said Saints boss Leon Meakin.

‘We were poor for the opening 35 minutes and Rovers were excellent, they were definitely unlucky not to be ahead.

‘While they were creating chances we knew that we would get some too and when they came we were clinical. Scoring twice before half-time gave us the platform to manage the second half and see us through to the final.’

The two sides will meet once again next week, this time in the semi-final of the Guernsey FA Cup.

Listen to reaction to Saints' Wheway win, and chat on all the latest local football, on this week's GP Football Podcast:

‘There were so many positives to take yesterday and in the dressing room we really felt as if we could have got something, I do not think there’s much between the two sides at all,’ said Rovers head coach Kevin Gillease following the Port Soif defeat.

‘I am disappointed with the result, but really proud and pleased with the performance.

‘I thought we were excellent, starting the game really positively. We looked really quick, hungry, strong and created a few chances. Unfortunately we did not put them away and we got that sucker punch at the end of the half and somehow we ended up two goals behind at the break and we had a mountain to climb.

‘We got everything right but just didn’t find the back of the net, which is pretty much the story of our season – if you could condense this year into one half that was it.

‘We looked like we could really cause them problems with that front three, they were superb. We were a real threat and were very diverse going forward.

‘By the time we got our goal it was too late and Saints got back into the game, as they always do, and they were clinical.’

St Martin’s play Jersey champions St Clement in the Upton on Saturday at the Track.

‘We all wish Saints the best in the Upton, I hope they do really well,’ added the Rovers head coach.

Bels and North meet in the first Guernsey FA Cup semi-final tonight at Blanche Pierre Lane.

Bels come into the fixture off the back of a 2-0 home defeat to St Martin’s in their final league game of the campaign, while North are unbeaten in their last 11. Kick-off is at 7.30pm.