Wasteful westerners drop points out east

Wasteful westerners drop points out east

On a bone-hard and uneven surface, defender Tom Floyd scored what is already a candidate for goal of the season – a 25-yard curling right-foot shot into a top right-hand corner for the Saints’ second equaliser.

Wanderers stopper Max Jouan, who was five yards off his goal-line, got a hand to the ball but he was unable to keep it out on the hour.

Wanderers should have gone on to take all three points but four decent opportunities in the final seven minutes were squandered.

Kamen Nafkha and Jules Gabbiadini both fired shots straight at relieved goalkeeper Bradley Rolland, while Dan Romeril and Harris Moon were off target with a shot and a nod of the head, respectively.

Had one of those chances been taken it would have been tough on St Clement as Matt Rawlings was also guilty of failing in front of goal – on three o ccasions.

Twice in the opening few minutes last season’s joint leading goalscorer in the Premiership should have put the Saints ahead, but he hit the side netting after rounding Jouan and then he missed the target with a curling left-footer after excellent work by James McCallum.

Rawlings’ deft touch got him behind his marker, when his side were trailing 2-1, but with just Jouan to beat he fired weakly straight at the custodian.

Wanderers, who defeated St Clement 5-1 last month in the Charity Cup, had the best player on show in the first half – Gabbiadini.

He was at the heart of everything positive from the visitors, but he was unable to repeat the performance in the second half and catching the surface attempting a shot, his frustration in looking for a free kick for a foul led to him serving ten minutes in the sin after voicing his opinion to referee Paulo Franco.

Gabbiadini showed his undoubted talent as he latched on to Arthur Illingworth’s defence-splitting pass to slot the ball into a bottom left-hand corner to put Wanderers ahead in the 18th minute.

It was tough on the Saints as the goal came against the run of play.

The impressive Rob McBey and Floyd squandered chances to equalise, while Harrison Moon should have doubled Wanderers’ advantage but he too shot straight at the goalkeeper.

McCallum equalised with his head from Rawlings’ corner kick but St Clement were level for just a minute as Will Herdman conceded a penalty following a foul on Moon.

Illingworth stepped forward and drove the resultant spot kick into a bottom left-hand corner to put Wanderers 2-1 in front.

After the resumption, Jonny Seller cleared Kieran O’Neill’s nodded effort, following a corner, off Wanderers’ goal-line and then Rawlings squandered his aforementioned third chance of the game.

Floyd then levelled the scores with his wonder strike and with Wanderers finishing strong, following the return of Gabbiadini, the visitors were unable to take one of their late quartet of chances to take the three points.

St Clement: Bradley Rolland; Will Herdman, Tom Floyd (Jordan Spencer, 81), Liam Spencer, Don McBey, Rob McBey (Y), Matt Rawlings, Tom Turquet, Asher Moyse, Kieran O’Neill, James McCallum.

JTC Jersey Wanderers: Max Jouan; Ollie Thompson (Charlie Payn, 70), Dan Romeril, James Quérée, Jonny Seller, Josh Daniels, Kamen Nafkha, Max Corbett, Harrison Moon, Jules Gabbiadini, Arthur Illingworth (Y).

Officials: Paulo Franco, David Brunton, Alex Andrews.

St Clement 2,

McCallum 40, Floyd 60

JTC Jsy Wanderers 2

Gabbiadini 18, Illingworth (pen) 41

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