‘Star’ a stepping stone to top
AFTER breaking their away hoodoo in 2016, Guernsey’s Guernsey’s Star Trophy footballers head to Springfield tomorrow keen to win back the trophy and erase the disaster of 2017.
The Guernsey team is being jointly coached by Mark Ingrouille and Stew Moyles, who see the side as playing a role in the pathway from schools to senior football.
Ingrouille, who was in charge for last year’s 7-1 home thrashing, said ‘although unfortunate, last year’s hammering by Jersey seems a distant memory in the grand scheme of things’.
He added: ‘The progress made by so many of last year’s squad should be recognised and not forgotten. As recently as Tuesday night we had in Callum Le Lacheur our eighth player [since we started competing in the Gothia Cup in 2014] making his GFC debut only eight months after leaving the Star Trophy season.
‘It was also pleasing to note Charlie Driscoll scoring the winner in the U16 Muratti at Footes Lane last year – a Star Trophy squad member playing up a year group.
‘Several of last year’s squad are now playing and training in the U18s as well as making senior club debuts, and as for Maya, another appearance captaining England is becoming a common headline.’
Ingrouille said the current squad are already looking sharp after a great UK tour which saw them challenged against some of the best players in Gosport & Fareham, as well as competitive games against academy sides Portsmouth FC and Southampton FC. ‘The squad are very motivated, enthusiastic to improve, analytical, determined and always look to play good football,’ he said.
But, he insists, it is not all about winning.
‘As a Guernseyman, it is hard to look past the importance to get ‘’one-up’’ on our local rivals at every opportunity; [but] regardless of the result on Saturday our main objective will be to challenge and develop these players in preparation for senior football and beyond.’
More than 40 players underwent trials for the match and the following 18 were chosen:
Ben Acey (SSHS), Alfie Bentley (SSHS), Callum Cherry (SSHS), Keene Domaille (SSHS), Jake Elmy (SSHS), Etienne Gaudion (EC), Jack Hamon (EC), Hugo Harty (EC), Reese Jackson (SSHS), Charlie Le Page (GS), Oscar Leadbeater (GS), Harvey Lihou (SSHS), Charlie Platt (SSHS), Alex Scott (LBHS), Ben Stevens (LBHS), Ben Straker (EC), Harry Tough (LBHS), Jules Upson (EC).
Kick-off is at 11am.
