Hat-trick for the Islanders

FA Carlsberg National League Systems Cup
Preliminary Round

The FA Carlsberg National League System Cup continued on Saturday with four Preliminary Round ties taking place. 

Three of the match-ups involved offshore Island sides hosting mainland opposition and it turned out to be a great day for the home teams, with all three winning through to the First Round without conceding a goal.

The feature match was at the Springfield Stadium in St Helier, where the Jersey Combination hosted the Spartan South Midland League. Both sides were looking for their first win in the competition but it was the home team that came out on top, with a 2-0 victory that was more convincing than the score line suggested.

The Jersey side were quick out of the blocks on a sunny but blustery afternoon and had the ball in the net after six minutes – Chris Andrews, however, was adjudged to be offside. Two minutes later they did take the lead following an excellent passing move which found Craig Russell clear down the left and his pinpoint cross found the head of Andrews, who planted a firm header past Gray in the visitors’ goal.

It was all Jersey at this point but the Spartan’s settled down and began to push the home side, with Matt Terry and Ryan Smith both going close before the break of what was an entertaining and competitive tussle. 

The second half began with the visitors again pushing forward as they sought an equaliser, but it was the hosts that had the ball in the net again. Russell lobbed the ball over the head of the stranded keeper but Jersey were thwarted by the offside flag once more. As the second half wore on the visitor’s seemed to be running out of steam and it was the home side that began to take control, with the ever-dangerous front two of Russell and Andrews both going close.

The game finally turned on 70 minutes when Jersey were awarded a penalty by referee Gary Parsons after Jamie Irons brought down David Le Roux as he broke into the area. Jack Cannon coolly slotted home the resultant spot kick and the goal ended the game as a contest. The final 20 minutes proved uninspiring, with the Jersey Combination running out worthy winners to progress to the First Round and bring to an end their losing streak.

In the afternoon’s other games, 2006 winners, the Isle of Man League, advanced to the First Round with a narrow 1-0 win over the Manchester League – a second half penalty from Kevin Megson settling the tie in front of an excellent crowd of 460.

At a windswept Jarrow FC the Wearside League lost 2-1 to the visiting Cambridgeshire County League. Joe Abbs put the light blues ahead in the 20th minute with Rob Jones equalising on the stroke of half-time. The winning goal came on 70 minutes with Bridgeman scoring for the beaten finalists of 2004 and 2006.

The biggest victory came on Saturday night, when the Guernsey County League defeated the Kent County League 6-0. Ross Allen scored the first hat-trick of the competition, ably assisted by Dave Richoy with two and Craig Young scoring the other.

The competition continues this week with the Northampton Town League hosting the Hampshire Premier League at Cogenhoe United (kick-off 7.30pm) followed by two games on Saturday. Last season’s beaten finalists, the Midland Combination, host new boys the West Yorkshire League at West Midlands Police FC (kick-off 3pm), and another of the competition debutants, the Nottinghamshire Senior League, host the Teesside League at Greenwood Meadows FC (kick-off 2pm)  The remaining Preliminary Round tie is on 15 April when the Reading Football League host the Middlesex County League at Yeading (kick-off 7.30pm)