Sweet irony for Valley 'keeper as Caroliners fall

HAPPY Valley, who began the season on a high note, are determined to end it with another trophy after beating the old enemy, South China, 3-0 in the quarter-finals of the Esso FA Cup at Mongkok Stadium yesterday. Beaten twice by South China in the league this season, Valley gained ample revenge by denying the Caroliners a place in next Sunday's semi-finals at the Hong Kong Stadium. It was a wise, ageing Valley team, without any overseas players, which won the Hong Kong Football Association's pre-season seven-a-side tournament for the President's Cup. But with a full complement of five overseas players - two from the mainland, two from England and one Australian - to bolster the old guard, a vibrant Valley produced a fast, skilful and committed display which was too hot to handle for a jaded-looking South China team. Veteran midfielder Leung Nang-yan got Valley moving when the flight of his 12th-minute free-kick deceived South China centre-back Marcel Liesdek and Darren Tilley, formerly with York City, ran in to head the loose ball past Dutch 'keeper Werner Kooistra. Worse was to follow for South China because Kooistra aggravated an ankle injury and hobbled off four minutes later, to be replaced by Leung Cheuk-cheung. The reserve 'keeper had been on the field for only eight minutes when he was picking the ball out of his net following another Valley set-piece. When Leung's left-wing corner ran across the face of goal to an unmarked Wei Kexing, the midfielder from Beijing had plenty of time to control the ball and drive it home at the far post. Valley's front-runners, Tilley and Ricky Cheng Sin, never allowed the South China defence to settle with their combination of power and pace and a flimsy offside trap did not help the Caroliners' cause. Cheng sprinted clear of the South China defence 16 minutes into the second half and was clearly brought down by Leung after he pushed the ball to the 'keeper's left. The referee, Wong Yiu-chung, was kind on South China, however, and turned down appeals for a penalty. South China never looked capable of making the most of their good fortune, though, and Valley added a third five minutes from full-time. Chau Chiu-hung broke clear on the right wing and knocked the ball square for his fellow-substitute, Wong Fuk-wing, to beat Leung at the second attempt. The frustration of the Caroliners was highlighted with a yellow card for Anto Grabo, who was furious - and quite rightly it appeared - at having a late headed goal disallowed. The happiest man on the pitch was Valley's Australian 'keeper, Tommy Maras, who has now kept two clean sheets in two outings since his transfer from South China. Maras, 26, was signed by the Caroliners as a replacement for England-bound Allen McKnight but arrived in Hong Kong to find that South China had also signed Kooistra from AZ '67 Alkmaar in Holland on a 11/2-season contract. With no future at the club, Maras was forced to move on to Valley for the remainder of the season. ''It was excellent,'' said Maras, after keeping out the South China forwards, ''although six would have been nice. It was very difficult out there because of the glare of the sun and the hard ground but we started well and when the second goal went in they dropped their heads.'' South China began the game with two players they expected to have suspended - Liesdek and skipper Ku Kam-fai. But at last Monday's disciplinary committee hearing, Liesdek escaped a ban after having one of the two yellow cards, which led to his dismissal against Sing Tao in the Viceory Cup semi-final on March 31, cancelled by the FA. On Friday, South China successfully appealed against one-match bans imposed on Ku and right-winger Loh Wai-chi, having the suspensions replaced by a $5,000 fine in each case. Although Maras described the about-turn as ''scandalous'', South China have an ally in Valley chairman Nick Lee. ''This is a professional game and the club must be able to field their best players to make the game exciting and to attract the supporters,'' said Lee, who will control an $8 million budget - a rise of $2 million - next season. ''I agree with what happened because it's not good to have the best players out of a match. ''Having said that, South China have opened the gate and others must surely follow.'' Happy Valley (4-4-2): Tommy Maras; Hau Yiu-tak, Leung Sui-wing, Wang Dongning, Keung Wing-yiu; Leung Nang-yan (Chau Chiu-hung, 67), Alan Reis, Wei Kexing, Simon Collins (Wong Fuk-wing, 81); Ricky Cheng, Darren Tilley. South China (4-5-1): Werner Kooistra (Leung Cheuk-cheung, 16); Chan Ping-on (Wan Ho-yin, 38), Marcel Liesdek, Ku Kam-fai, Chan Wai-chiu; Au Wai-lun, Au Young Ying-tsz, Chiu Chung-man, Alen Bajkusa, Wu Qun-li; Anto Grabo. Man of the Match: Wei Kexing (Happy Valley) - Strong in attack and defence. The FA have brought forward the First Division game between Rangers and Sing Tao from May 6 to Thursday, before the FA Cup quarter-final between Kitchee and Instant-Dict.