Reports

Trinity close gap at the top

Coca-Cola Combination Division One

Trinity edged nearer to leaders Jersey Scottish after a 4-0 home win over Portuguese Club, who go bottom on goal difference.

But the former champions were made to work hard for their victory, especially in the opening twenty minutes when Portuguese twice had golden chances to take the lead.

After eight minutes Freddie Mendes should have scored after he broke into the Trinity box, but his fluffed shot went into the arms of Jimmy Styles, and after twenty five minutes the pacey Michael Teixeira shot across the face of goal after some great work by Jose Manuel Vieira.

So it was something of a surprise when Trinity took the lead. A deep cross from the right was superbly flicked on by John Fitzmaurice, and Paul Banahan blasted hard and low into inside the near post after thirty two minutes.

Banahan had the chance to double the tally with five minute to go before half time but his shot hit the side netting, but in the first minute of injury time Fitzmaurice made it 2-0.

Trinity made the game safe after three minutes of the second half when Allan Brown's delightful ball from the left evaded the keeper and Banahan nodded home his second.

The win was completed midway through the second half, substitute Steve Holt blasting a rebound into the net from close range with his first touch.

Trinity boss Joe Morley was happy to see his side get back to winning ways. “We’ve found it a bit of a struggle lately, but we looked for a little bit of effort today, and  got it, and luckily enough got the win. The lads are quite nervous, and the Portuguese Club gave us a few problems early on. But we knuckled down and knew if we kept working, we’d get a goal.”

Portuguese Club's Marco Varela told BBC Radio Jersey that his side didn’t take their chances and suffered for it. “Credit to Trinity, they outplayed us in the second half, but we have to keep going, and although we’re now bottom, we can do it.”

Elsewhere in the top flight Grouville moved up to fifth after beating St. Pauls 3-0 thanks to a Toni Cardoso hat-trick.

Division Two

The race for the title continues to be an extremely tight one, with Rozel staying top on goals scored. They were 4-3 winners at St. Lawrence thanks to Jerry O'Shea, Scott Healey, Stuart Truscott and Andy McCabe, while St. Brelade won 4-1 at St. John thanks to strikes by Liam Sutton, Chris Maguire, Olly Nightingale and Stevie Reed.

St. Clement stay third after a 4-0 win over Magpies, Matt Scriven getting two, Beau Waugh and Jamie Smith one each.

Fourth-placed Nomads beat Beeches 4-3. Paul Crompton scored twice for the winners, one a penalty, and there were singles for Carl Winn and Paul Lees. Simon Logan hit two for Beeches, with Sam Baldwin scoring their other.

At the bottom Sporting Academics got their second point of the season with a three-all draw with St. Martin/S.C.F. For Accies, Jamie Savory scored twice, and there was one for Michael Perreira. Mark Harris also bagged a brace, for St. Martin/S.C.F., with Danny Vincent also on target.

Division One Reserves

There are now four sides all on 18 points at the top, with Grouville missing out on going top after a home defeat against Tower. Mark Lucas scored the only goal to keep his side in third place.

Jersey Wanderers are the fourth side on 18 points after their 5-3 win against St. Pauls. Scott Young scored twice for Wanderers, and there were singles for Ben Andrew, Tim de Luca and Tony Salaun (pen). Luke Watson, Bill Begbie and Richard Cousins were on the scoresheet for St. Pauls.

Division Two Reserves

St. Peter reduced the gap to leaders St. Ouen to five points, from a game more played, after beating St. Brelade by the odd goal in seven. St. Peter’s Mark Stewart scored twice, with a goal each for Conrad Proud and Ryan Le Cornu, with Danny Richardson (2) and Sean Ganly scoring for St. Brelade.

Division C

Little change in this division, with wins for the top three. Grouville stay three points clear after beating fourth-placed Wanderers with strikes from Giles Johnstone-Scott and Paul Cilia – Alan Yates scored for Wanderers.

Rozel stay second after beating St. Clement 5-3. Paul Lennon and Colin Rowarth scored two each and Tony Amorin one for the winners, with Martin Godfray (2) and Fil Gouveia for St. Clement.

St. Peter are third after also hitting five, against St. Lawrence. John de la Mare scored two, and Tim Ward, Phil Kendall and Gary Bateley one each, while Matt Thebault got a consolation for St. Lawrence.

Two Dave Wright goals secured St. Ouen’s home win over bottom club Beeches, while St. John leapfrog over Accies into seventh place after beating them 4-0. Jerry Viera scored twice, with Mark Roche and Adi Dixon joining him on the scoresheet.