Saints and North serve up a treat
ST MARTIN’S have begun the new season exactly how they ended the last one – by lifting silverware.
The Channel Islands champions claimed the Martinez Cup last night at Blanche Pierre Lane by beating North 5-3 in a penalty shoot-out with the game having ended 1-1 after 90 minutes.
It was some revenge for Saints after they had lost to the chocolate-and-blues in the Rawlinson Cup semi-finals, but it also served as a great hors d’oeuvre ahead of the main course on Friday night when the two sides meet once more in the opening game of the FNB Priaulx League campaign because if this was anything to go by, that should be a Northfield cracker.
They put on a compelling show with some fine football and good chances being created at both ends, although the goals came early in the piece.
Youth and experience combined superbly to give North a seventh-minute lead with returning old boy Craig Young picking out a pinpoint pass to find Brandon Wallace who showed composure beyond his tender years to take the ball in his stride when cutting in from the left before firing into the bottom corner.
The lead lasted just 11 minutes, though, as two of St Martin’s youngsters conjured an equaliser with Frazer Maginnis delivering an inviting cross from the left that Alex Roussel nodded home.
The action was non-stop, but there were to be no more goals and the decisive moment of the shoot-out came at the start when Josh Addison saved North’s first spot kick from Danny Cooley.
All five of the home side’s penalty-takers were successful, with Ollie Smith administering the coup de grace.
