Sylvans 1 (Rodrigues)
St Martin’s 2 (Hunter, Le Tissier)
Following their win on opening night of the cup at Victoria Park, the holders now are second in group A with North currently top after they beat Rangers 6-3 at the KGV 3G also on Friday night.
Despite the final scoreline and a much better second-half performance from Saints, it was Sylvans who had got off to a better start.
There were a couple of half chances in the opening exchanges, but nothing that really tested either goalkeeper.
On 20 minutes Jacques Le Gallez squared the ball into Louis Hunter in the box but he dragged his shot just wide.
And then just before the half-hour mark, Sylvans took the lead as Tiago Rodrigues produced a classy finish from inside the area past Saints goalkeeper Max Wall.
Sylvans looked to build on that and exerted significant pressure on Saints for the rest of the half.
The Westerners were back on the attack as Rodrigues released Euan Melrose to take the ball out to the right before he delivered a cross into the area, but Rodrigues could not get in front of goal quickly enough to double their lead.
With five minutes of the first half still to be played, St Martin’s were gifted an opportunity to go level as referee Martin Whitman awarded them a penalty for a Sylvans handball.
Hunter stepped up to take the spot kick, which he buried into the bottom left corner.
In the second half both sides had more chances – especially St Martin’s who had not been much of a threat in the first half.
In the 55th minute Melrose went close to putting Sylvans back in the lead but fired the ball straight into the advertising boards just wide of the far post from the corner of the area.
A couple of minutes later, Glenn Le Tissier made a good run down the left cut in and chipped the ball towards the goal but it swept over the crossbar.
Freddie Walker had a shot at goal from just inside the area, but his strike was met by Wall, who made a great save to deny Sylvans regaining the lead.
On the hour mark Saints were rewarded for their improved second-half performance and took the lead through Le Tissier, whose excellent lob from 30 yards out found the back of the net.
It could have been 3-1 in the 75th minute as Sam Hall struck a fine shot from distance against the bar.
The ball bounced down but did not cross the line.
Minutes later Rodrigues produced another fine finish from distance which was disallowed. The Sylvans No 10 also fired a shot from 30 yards out but was just off target and came bouncing back off the crossbar.
Sylvans put the pressure on St Martin’s once again in the closing stages of the game but could not find the equaliser they were looking for.
In the first of four added minutes, Melrose was through on goal, but Wall got there before he could get the shot away.
TEAMS
Sylvans: N Batiste, Tardif, Z Batiste, Tempest, Fell, Gilman, Leadbeater, Walker, M Jones, Rodrigues, Melrose. Subs (rolling): Migasiuk, B Jones, Bourgaize, Langlois.
St Martin’s: Wall, Johnson, Le Gallez, Geall, Le Noury, Le Prevost, Bowditch, Roussell, Le Tissier, Hunter, Hall. Subs (rolling): Meza, Duddy, Davison, Domaille, Renouf.
