31st October Bels 4 ROVERS 13 - Unlucky for some on HALLOWEEN but not for the Corbet cup Boys!! written by Chris Lihou

Bels kicked off on a perfect still morning at Victoria Avenue and matched Rovers in every department for the first 5 minutes. The ball was zipping off the wet surface like an alpine skier on the notorious downhiller at Val d’isere (locally known as Val des Terres).

In the 6th minute Browning picked the ball up on the right side, turned on a sixpence, sending 3 Bels players the wrong way and crossed for Whitmore to finish with great aplomb. Minutes later full back Netherton picked up a loose ball from defence and unleashed a long range effort which skimmed the bar just missing the top left corner of the keepers net. Socrates that great Brazilian philosopher and captain would have been proud of that effort!

Soon after Robin finished clinically making it two after more trickery from Browning. Bels pulled one back in the 9th minute to make it 2-1, despite keeper Arrol (and everyone else) pointing out to the linesman that the goal scorer was 5 or 6 yards offside. The (Rovers) liner admitted he had a “Nelson” moment.

After the shock of conceding Rovers scored straight from the K.O. to make it 3-1. Nightingale made a fantastic darting run through the right channel, Fazakerley found him with a rapier like pass and Nightingale cooly slotted home past the keeper’s despairing dive.

Following the restart Whitmore picked the ball up on the left and played a slide rule ball into Robin who clipped it to the keepers right to make it 4-1, another super finish.

Browning then made it 5-1 with a solo effort, picking the ball up wide on the half way line, rampaging down the left touchline beating three Bels players, before cutting in and shooting low and hard, the keeper made a fine block but Browning was onto the rebound like Gazelle finishing in the bottom bin. Bels scored another as the ref blew his whistle for half time to make it 5-2, although comment was made that “Nelson” had missed another one, and the referee was actually blowing for offside!

Second Half

Stokes and Thompson came on for the second half and both made an immediate impact. Thompson stood big forcing the Bels striker, clean through on goal, to slip the ball inches wide of the right hand upright.

Stokes then made it 6 on 32 minutes following good approach work by Browning and Whitmore. An unfortunate O.G. by Bels made it 7-2. Bels pulled another one back to make it 7-3 and then the alert Robin picked up a poor kick out of defence, ran unchallenged on goal and buried an unstoppable pile driver into the bottom right corner to make it eight.

Bels never gave up and came back to score their fourth before Stokes made it nine in the 47th minute. Browning started a quick fire salvo of goals in the last five minutes as Bels tired, Browning scoring with ease in the bottom bin to make it double figures.

Another O.G. racked the score up to 11 a run and cross shot by Browning finishing with a huge defection off a Bels knee arrowing the ball into the net. Fazakerley finshed easily from the inside the eighteen for 12-4 and in the dying minute Browning burst through the middle to make it 13.

An excellent performance overall with debut starts for Hunt and Thompson who were ably marshalled by Hood “the rock at the back”.

MATCH PHOTOGRAPHS

11th October....Rovers 17 Saints 1

Well Done to the Corbet Cup side with only Guernsey Rugby scoring more this weekend. With 9 players getting on the score sheet and 2 players getting hat-tricks, Rovers youngsters have now scored 26 goals in their first 2 games. Well done boys.

Goals by Howit, Cooney, Fazakarley 2, Netherton 2, Browning 3, Robin,Whitmore 2, Philpott 3, Le Tocq 2

4th October....Rovers 9 Sylvans 2

Rovers opened their Corbet Cup campaign with an excellent opening victory at Port Soif. With a crowd of around 50 parents, friends of both teams watching, a commanding performance saw Rovers comfortable winners.

Goals by Robin 5, Browning 4