Rawlinson Cup quarter-final results
Northerners 2-3 St Martin’s
Rovers 1-2 Sylvans
Bels 3-4 Vale Rec
Rangers 0-2 CF Independant
Many thought Bels were just giving themselves an easier ride, given that as they finished bottom of the Priaulx table the season before, they would meet Railway side CF Independant, the eighth entry into the competition.
But the 2024 competition had seen three awful mismatches over the quarter-finals, where Indies’ 7-0 loss to North was the second best result for a losing team over the course of the week.
This season, the format where first plays second, and so on, has produced four competitive fixtures where three were decided by just one goal and the fourth by two.
It has also given a decent indication of who might be where in the table as the season progresses, where the expected continued dominance of North and St Martin’s might expect to be challenged most by a young Sylvans side, who edged out a much-changed Rovers 2-1, a score that some thought should have been more decisive.
Luke Ogier, one of four high-profile departures from Port Soif over the summer, scored the winner after Kyle Smith had opened the scoring for Sylvans. If Smith remains fit and motivated he could still have it in him to shake up all Priaulx defences and push the Westerners to challenge the top two.
Rovers fielded just two regulars from their title-winning season of 2022-23 and had a few younger players and some who have largely plied their trade in Railway football in their side. It will be interesting to see how they fare over the next few months.
Sylvans meet Vale Rec in tomorrow’s second semi-final after they overcame an ever-resurgent Bels 4-3 on Wednesday night.
Rec took an early lead and were always ahead but Bels pulled things back to 4-3 late on and then hit the post with almost the last kick of the game.
Last week’s Rec team were almost unrecognisable from the side that won the league just a little over two years ago, but goals from Marlon Jardim, Jack Sylvester and a brace from Tyrese Kelly proved to be enough. Their season may well hinge on the demands of the Guernsey FC Development side and what opportunity that continues to offer for players to appear in yellow.
Rangers seem destined for another season of struggle and though they are now signing, or re-signing, some useful young players, they were second-best on Thursday against a CF Independant outfit who have dropped their average age over the past season while still carrying plenty of Priaulx experience with the likes of Miles Pengelley and Janick Radford in the side.
Decent chances were few and far between before Jordan Le Poidevin headed them into the lead on 52 minutes, and debutant Leighton Woodhead, a summer signing from the Corbet Field, made the game safe with 10 minutes to go with a goal largely made by Alex Masterton.
Their possibly dubious reward for the ‘giant-killing’ is a tough match-up with Saints tonight at the Track, with a 7.30 kick off.
Semi-finals (7.30pm at the Track)
Tonight – St Martin’s v CF Independant
Tomorrow – Sylvans v Vale Rec
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