Loss has made every game ‘massive’ now for Rovers
ROVERS coach Kevin Gillease admits his side have lost their breathing space at the top of the FNB Priaulx League following Saturday’s defeat to Vale Rec.
It was only the Port Soif outfit’s second league loss of the campaign, but following North’s 4-2 triumph over St Martin’s on Friday night, Rovers’ lead is now five points and the chocolate-and-blues have a game in hand.
‘We are disappointed with the result and disappointed with the performance,’ said Gillease.
‘It means that every game we play from now on is massive – every match will be like a cup final.
‘A win at the weekend would have given us a nice cushion but it was not to be.
‘We will be ready to go again and look forward to providing a reaction, and at the end of the day it is still in our hands.’
A superb free-kick from Tiago Rodrigues midway through the second period was the difference between the two teams at the weekend, meaning Rec now move just two points behind St Martin’s, who currently occupy the third Wheway Cup spot.
Rovers and Rec will meet again in the Stranger Cup final on 1 March and Gillease says that his side will need to be much-improved for that fixture after a frustrating display at the weekend.
‘We started very poorly on Saturday and never really turned up, to be honest. We were unable to connect anything up at all.
‘There were not many shots on target from either side, and unfortunately for us they managed to score with one of the chances they did have.
‘It was a scrappy game, we looked quite shaky and did not get a foothold at all.’
North’s victory meant that Jose Alvarez’s team opened up on a three-point gap on Saints, although the reigning champions do still have a game spare.
George Mason and Fin Du Port were both on target for Jason Leaman’s side on the night, but their goals could not stop a ruthless second half display from North who ran away 4-2 winners, thanks to goals from Luke Mollet, Owen Wallbridge and a brace from the in-form Kyle Smith.
‘North started much stronger than we did until we changed formation. We went 2-1 up, which was great with half-time in sight, but unfortunately one minute before half time we had George Mason sent to the sin bin,’ said Leaman.
‘Knowing how dangerous North are we knew we would be in for a tough second-half especially since we were temporarily down to 10 men.
‘We kept them at bay and then with George back on I thought we could have ground out a result – we had a great chance to score and if we had done so maybe the result would have been different, but that’s football.
‘Certain decisions cost us moments in the game, but truth be told North were better than us on the night.
‘We move on and focus on Rangers this coming Saturday – it’s still all to play for.’
Elsewhere in the Priaulx League at the weekend, Sylvans secured a narrow victory over Alderney to move them within a point of Chris Tardif’s Rangers.
A first-half effort from young midfielder Lorcan Gallagher proved to be the difference between the two sides at St Peter’s, with the win taking Sylvans to 15 points for the season.
Mike Garnett’s team also have a game in hand on Rangers and a victory in their spare game would see them go up to sixth in the table.
Rangers and Bels also played out a 1-1 draw on Saturday afternoon in what was the KGV side’s first draw of the season after 16 games, meaning Chris Le Friec’s men miss the chance to stay within four points of Vale Rec in fourth.
George Goubert gave the home side the lead before Brent Marquand hit the Bels equaliser.
