Goal ace Hinds too hot to handle

Karl Hinds, 50 competitive goals behind him last season, was the thorn in the Port Soif side over 130 minutes of closely-matched action, but Rovers will feel disappointed that they failed to take the opportunity to break their struggles in CI competition.

They were marginally the better side throughout much of the contest, but lacked that killer instinct in front of goal, from the moment inside the first 60 seconds that Robbie Legg slipped in Martin Savident through the inside-right channel. The striker raced away into acres of space but when he came to the penalty area, shot high to Daniel Tostevin’s right and the keeper tipped the effort around the post.

Rovers enjoyed the better of the early chances, and came closest to scoring halfway through the half, when Ben Le Tocq advanced from the back, slipped several challenges and plonked an effort from distance on to the crossbar.

Hinds, well-marshalled throughout by Le Tocq and Louis Falla, gave a hint of the danger he posed on the stroke of half-time, firing into the side netting as the visitors combined nicely after Rovers gave the ball away in their own half.

Chances continued to be at a premium in the second half, Rovers just shading things, and it looked increasingly likely that a single goal would settle the tie. The decisive moment came with just 10 minutes to go, when it was Rovers who failed to deal with a simple through ball over the top. As it bounced, the quicksilver Hinds was first to react, lobbing Adam Bullock with a first-time finish that left the keeper stranded as it bounced into the roof of the net.

Now desperate, Rovers upped the pressure, Legg increasingly influential, and on 90 minutes Tostevin did well to repel his effort, and as Rovers recycled possession, substitute Luke Ogier headed into the side-netting.

He was soon to find his bearings however. Two minutes into added time, Charlie Platt over-hit a right-wing corner but James Grundy showed incredible fitness and determination to keep the ball in play, beat the defender, and then hang up a delicious cross and Ogier rose highest six yards out to plant his header just beneath the crossbar.

It was a lifeline for the home side but they could not make it pay in the 10 minutes added on at the end of the game, Platt blazing a good chance high over the bar with the last kick.

Into unwanted added time on a hot afternoon and it was Ogier again who was presented with an opportunity, galloping through the yellow back-line only to strike his shot well wide.

Bullock made a super save with his right foot after Jay Dos Santos had waltzed through the defence and seemed destined to score, but as both sides tired and begged to know how long to go, with penalties seemingly inevitable, Rovers failed to deal with a long throw and as Bullock advanced to claim, Hinds reacted quickly to lob him into the far corner of the net.

It was a dagger to blue-and-white hearts just twisted two minutes before the end, when again a bouncing ball was the problem and as Bullock hesitated, Dos Santos made the result certain, completing the 3-1 win.

• SIMON ARNOLD was Sylvans’ hat-trick hero on Saturday as they beat Grouville 4-2 at St Peter’s to book their place in the Jeremie Cup semi-finals.

Tiago Rodrigues also scored for the Westerners.

On Sunday, St Peter scored three late goals to end Vale Rec’s defiant resistance to run out 4-1 winners.

In the Offshore Commercial Guernsey FA Cup on Saturday, North came from 2-0 down against Rangers to win 3-2 after extra-time.