Vale Rec out to end 36-year wait for a CI club title
MARK ROMERIL says that winning the Upton Park Trophy tomorrow would be the ‘icing on the cake’ for his Vale Rec side as they go on the hunt for a third trophy of the season.
The Corbet Field outfit are involved in the fixture for the first time since 2003 after winning the Priaulx League last month, but they have not been crowned Channel Island Champions in over 35 years.
They will play Jersey Premiership champions St Clement, who are looking to win the trophy for the first time in their history, at Blanche Pierre Lane tomorrow.
Rec’s opponents are also likely to have Jersey golden boot winner Karl Hinds available for the fixture, who scored 44 goals in just 25 games this season.
‘We’re massively excited for it, and we’re very proud to be representing the island,’ said Romeril.
‘This is the pinnacle of club football in the Channel Islands and it’s an honour for us to be in it, and we deserve to be here after the year we have had.
‘Winning the Priaulx was always our aim and we’ve not thought about the Upton much this season, but we really want to give a good account of ourselves.
‘It’s a big ask to win it because Guernsey teams have a poor record against Jersey sides in recent times, and we need to find a way to improve and get better results, so it’s nice that we get a chance to try and do that.
‘We have done our homework on them – until a week ago we did know know much at all, but we’ve learnt a lot from watching videos and speaking to people in Jersey.
‘The feedback is pretty much as expected – you do not win the league over there unless you’re a quality team.
‘We know that Karl Hinds scores goals for fun, and I am sure they will be a really organised unit.’
Romeril also discussed team news for the fixture, and said that they are ‘just waiting on Marlon Jardim’.
‘He has been away and he’s had a hamstring injury, so we’ll make a late assessment and we’ll hope that he has a part to play.
‘Aside from that, we’re as strong as we can be.
‘Keanu [Marsh] had a slight issue but has trained well this week, and Damien [Larkin] should be ok, so we have a fairly clean bill of health.’
Tomorrow’s Upton Park Trophy game kicks off at 12.30pm at Blanche Pierre Lane.
