HISTORY might suggest that an Ambassadeur Bowl with six goals and a red card apiece would be the makings of a classic.
However, this was different.
The scoreline from yesterday’s under-21 Muratti at Springfield reads 4-2 to Jersey, but the affair was much more one-sided than that.
Manager James Scott alluded to a ‘gulf in class’ between the teams, and the game proved exactly that.
His side orchestrated proceedings and, for every question the Caesareans threw at Guernsey, they had no answer.
First-half goals from Darryl Mvalo and man-of-the-match Toby Ritzema were added to by Luke Coutanche and Leandro Vieira, with both of the Sarnian strikes coming later, following the dismissal of James Sunley.
Scott said: ‘Right from kick-off you could see the gulf in class between the sides.
‘I don’t think it was a 4-2 type of game. We dominated from the outset and were very comfortable throughout. We have very technically strong and gifted players in our squad and they all stepped up in a big way in the biggest fixture against Guernsey.
‘The squad as a whole is young. I think we only lose two from this group for next year. But even with young players, they have a level of experience in there to manage environments like a Muratti.’
Scott’s praise for his side was effusive, and with the senior Muratti and Island Games in Guernsey on the horizon, he believes some of his players deserve a seat at the table.
‘The future is very bright,’ he said. ‘These age-group Murattis are all part of the transitional stage for these players to push through to the senior side. Some of this group are that good that they deserve a spot in the senior Muratti this year.’
Following years of Sarnian dominance in the fixture, Jersey have now won two on the bounce and will hope they can now inflict an era of pain.
Full match report in today’s JEP
