Pitch switch is to Rovers’ benefit

At the start of last week Rovers had the foresight to book the KGV 3G for their clash with Bels on Saturday, knowing that the island’s grass pitches would probably be out of action, and with Vale Rec’s Friday night encounter with Sylvans unsurprisingly postponed, the champions grasped the opportunity to narrow the deficit on the leaders with a convincing 4-0 win the following evening.

‘It’s important to get these games played,’ said a satisfied Rovers coach Kevin Gillease, who is keen for his side not to have a big backlog of fixtures.

‘I know not many people like these KGV games, especially with the [5pm] time slot, but sometimes I think you’ve just got to get on with it.

‘If the pitch is unplayable and this is available, just do it, because like I say, you get games ticked off, you get three points and you look forward to another game.’

Rovers scored two goals in either half, with Max Robin netting the opener before Sammy Hall doubled the lead with an absolute beauty from 25 yards.

After the interval, Martin Savident and James Grundy completed the scoring.

‘I thought we controlled the game without over-playing and we were patient when we needed to be,’ Gillease said.

‘Bels made it hard like I knew they would. They were tough. You give them sort of any sniff and they’re all over you for a couple of minutes, so you just got to ride those little moments out.

‘I thought, once we can start playing our football, Bels would tire a little bit second half. So that’s when we knew we would take over and it was just a case of taking chances.’

• Match report in Monday's Guernsey Press.