Libby Barnett: We want to help Grouville

Sofia Rodrigues for Jersey Wanderers tussles with Nic Barnes of Grouville for possession Picture: DAN ANDRADE

JERSEY WANDERERS WOMEN made it three wins from as many games to put some daylight between themselves and Rozel Rovers in second.

The win came by way of three unanswered goals against hosts Grouville, who played their first game in six weeks after handing consecutive walkovers to start the season.

With coach Chris Duncan off-Island, managerial duties were shifted to captain Libby Barnett for the occasion, who said ‘the link up play between Sofia Rodrigues and Sam Silva was vital’.

‘Sofia has been brilliant on the right side, cutting in and providing service into the box with her left foot,’ said Barnett.

‘Both goals to Sam were practically identical. The two of them are building a great rapport with one another.’

Despite the apparent one-sided nature of the scoreline, the Wanderers captain was full of praise for her opponents.

She said: ‘It was a really good battle. Grouville fought really hard from first whistle to last.

‘Given their lack of recent game time, they played very well.

‘For us, it has been a great start to the season. We have developed a really fun culture within the squad, where everyone is enjoying their football.

‘The squad is a really nice mix of youth and experience, which will bode well going forward.’

Elsewhere in the league, the fixture between St Lawrence and Rozel Rovers was postponed due to lack of player availability from the parish side.

Instead of continuing to hand out walkovers for these circumstances, the JFA and the teams involved in the women’s division have agreed to make allowances for such circumstances – a decision Barnett is very much in favour of.

‘I think we all need to be responsible for protecting the current sides in the league.

‘We want to help Grouville, not only in the short-term but also looking beyond that.

‘Their success and momentum in the league is as important to us as it is to them, in order to keep the league alive.

‘It’s great to see the JFA showing some leeway in order to protect them and we hope that moving forward we can have, at minimum, four competitive clubs in Jersey.’

Sam Silva’s two goals take her up to six on the season, tied with teammates Hannah Lynam at the top of the goalscoring charts.

The latter was also on target for Wanderers against Grouville.

Grouville Women: Lauren Byrne, Soraya Da Conceicao, Rebecca Duncan, Lucy Even, Alexa Kirkland, Olivia Labesse, Claire Moulson, Charlotte Noel, Lucinda Overbury, Catherine Perry-Overbury. Substitutes: Nongret Tomkins, Faith Tompkins.

JTC Jersey Wanderers: Libby Barnett, Catherine Baudains, Ella Brennand (Charlaine Duncan), Felicia Carendi, Natalie Davies (Lauren Trachy), Sarah Le Sueur, Hannah Lynam, Lauren Quemard, Sofia Rodrigues, Samantha Silva, Ashley Whitfield.

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