St Martin’s 2 (Eyton-Jones, Smith)
Rovers 1 (McKane pen)
St Martin’s started strongly and finished in much the same manner on Friday at the Track to end the evening lifting the Rawlinson Cup, but they were also tested at times by Rovers, who deserved to get back on level terms on the hour after growing into the game.
However, as coach Kevin Gillease later admitted, his side became ‘leggy’ in the closing stages and eventually, after a period of mounting pressure, Saints conjured a 90th minute winner slotted home by substitute Jay Smith that spared them the lottery of a penalty shoot-out.
By adding this success to becoming the inaugural Spirit Cup winners, the Priaulx League champions are giving all the indications that they will be the team to beat once more this season, with the change of head coach from Leon Meakin to Ben Hunter showing few signs of disrupting their momentum.
They certainly began in confident mood on Friday, with one slick back-to-front counter-attack that saw the ball flow from goalkeeper Max Wall through George Goubert onto Isaac Eyton-Jones before Steve Balmer managed to intercept the final ball intended for the onrushing Sam Hall, demonstrating that they could be hard to contain for a back-line forced into a late change as Louis Falla was withdrawn from the starting XI moments before kick off with Blair Howitt filling in at the heart of the defence.
The breakthrough came on 12min. as Eyton-Jones, who is also a livewire on a hockey pitch, used his pace to burst down the right-wing via a one-two with Louis Hunter before driving towards goal and drilling his low shot into the far bottom corner.
It could, and probably should, have been two just three minutes later as another flowing Saints attack, which again started with their goalkeeper and advanced through several players down the left flank, ended with right-back Tom Solway receiving the ball from Goubert at the far post, but his shot from a narrow angle was blocked by Balmer’s midriff.
Saints then suffered a blow as they lost Alex Roussel to injury and their goal came under threat for the first time on 20min. when Howitt set off on a marauding run that ended with Wall getting fingertips to a fierce drive, helping it over the crossbar.
However, it was the black-and-whites who continued to look the more likely to score and in a period of sustained pressure Balmer was called into action by both Hunter and Goubert.
Against the run of play, Rovers nearly capitalised on a weak pass inside the Saints half with Martin Savident alert to intercept and feed Luke Ogier, whose shot was well-struck but straight at Wall.
The same duo almost combined for an equaliser shortly afterwards, too, but at full stretch Ogier was unable to direct his header wide of Wall from Savident’s right-wing delivery.
Rovers garnered some hope from those moments, though, and carried that into the second half, which they started brightly with Ben Solway having to make a well-timed challenge on Savident, who was released by the lively Charlie Robilliard.
Just before the hour, though, Solway did not time his challenge quite so well in Brent Blondel’s view as Robilliard burst into the penalty area on Charlie Platt’s pass and the referee pointed to the spot as the youngster went sprawling.
Captain Tyler McKane tucked away the spot kick with aplomb.
The sides were still level as they entered the final quarter-of-an-hour, but it was Saints who regained the upper hand in the closing stages.
The younger Solway brother had a couple of decent chances and also created another as he and Goubert combined well down the right while Smith had a shot saved by Balmer’s right foot.
Louis Hunter was becoming more influential and it was he who released Goubert on a fast break, but the winger was unlucky to see his shot across Balmer come back off the post.
Just when it looked as if a shoot-out would be required, Hunter picked out another incisive pass and this time Smith placed his shot wide of Balmer and into the net to snatch victory.
As if to rub salt into the Rovers wounds, their former midfield maestro Hall was awarded the Keith Parkyn Trophy as player of the match for a typically classy display in the centre of the park.
Teams
St Martin’s: Wall, T Solway, B Solway, Mason, Keltie, Lowe, Roussel, Hall, Goubert, Eyton-Jones, Hunter. Subs (rolling): Duddy, Geall, Smith, Bowyer, Hamon, Domaille, Renouf.
Rovers: Balmer, McKane, Donaldson, Howitt, Clayton, Walsh, Lihou, Platt, Savident, Robilliard, L Ogier. Subs: Bullock, Goncalves, Masterton-Pipet, T Ogier, Bookless, Timms.
Referee: B Blondel; assistants: L Pattimore, C Tardif.
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