WATCH: Guernsey U21s regain Ambassadeur Bowl with 2-1 Footes Lane win
The Ambassadeur Bowl is back in joyous Guernsey hands.
In front of a passionate home crowd at Footes Lane, the Sarnian under-21s defeated their Jersey counterparts 2-1 yesterday as goals from Jack Griffin and Keene Domaille won the hosts the silverware in a feisty contest that saw two Reds see red.
‘Something seems to be working doesn’t it? Whatever it is we are doing seems to be working,’ said coach Jordan Kelly, who has the Midas touch in Murattis, having been the only successful Guernsey coach in inter-insulars last season when he was in charge of the under-18s.
‘We put a group together, but ultimately it’s the lads who have to do the running around on the pitch in the battle, we just stand there, smile, wave and support.’
The Greens led at the break thanks to Griffin’s goal with Jersey down to 10 with Barry Beatson having been dismissed for two bookable offences.
Watch the highlights from Footes Lane
However, the visitors started the second half well and equalised through Rai Dos Santos, but Domaille finished as the home hero as he scored the winner with quarter-of-an-hour remaining.
Jersey’s goalscorer received a red card after the final whistle.
‘It was a battle, wasn’t it? The conditions played a massive part,’ Kelly said.
‘Each player had individual moments of brilliance, we rode a few storms, but the lads, the crowd, the subs all played a part, had their moments and thankfully it worked.’
The coach admitted he was ‘very concerned’ at one stage during the second half as 10-man Jersey were dominant for a good 20 minutes.
‘Give Jersey credit, they changed their shape … we then had to make a little bit of a change to get control again, the players dug in and rode the storm.’
• Match report in Monday's Guernsey Press
