All roads lead to Port Soif
IT IS all set up perfectly for a title showdown at Port Soif tomorrow.
While St Martin’s were putting nine past bottom-side Bels at the Track last night, Will Fazakerley was scoring the only goal of the game at the Corbet Field as champions Rovers maintained their three-point lead over Saints at the top of the table.
Should Rovers win at home tomorrow, they will retain the FNB Priaulx League that they won for the first time so memorably last year.
Given their superior goal difference – which is eight better than the second-placed side – a draw looks like it would probably be enough for Jez Robin’s side, too, but given St Martin’s current momentum, the blue-and-whites will not want to leave anything to chance with Saints still having a game in hand as they do not finish their campaign until Tuesday against Vale Rec.
The fare served up at the Corbet Field yesterday was not pretty, but given the circumstances, it was hardly likely to be.
Certainly, come the final whistle, the tension among the Rovers supporters was palpable and their celebrations were built on relief rather than jubilation once referee Geoff Ogier called a halt to proceedings in the fifth minute of added-on time.
The solitary goal had come much earlier from the first real attack of note in the 15th minute.
Kieran Mahon was bundled over midway into the Vale Rec half and, with the hosts napping, he was alert to the situation and quickly took the free kick to set Carlos Canha clear down the left.
The classy No. 7 clipped in an inviting cross and Fazakerley headed home across Rec player-coach Jody Bisson.
Bisson made an important save from Glyn Dyer on the stroke of half-time from the only other clear-cut chance of the half while after the interval Josh Addison denied Miles Pengelley with a flying stop, but the goalkeepers generally had little to do.
In the dying moments, Tyler McKane was aghast that he was not awarded a penalty as he was tripped when driving into the box, but it proved of little consequence.
At the Track, Connor Tostevin scored four goals after coming on as a sub for Saints while there was a brace for Ally Venosa and a goal each for Damian Le Tocq, Louis Hunter and Danny Hale in their 9-0 rout of Bels.
