Our director of rugby, Jordan Reynolds, was quite clear about the issue, as he told the Jersey Evening Post match reporter Ron Felton, who felt the Sarnians, who operate three divisions below Championship side Jersey, can again leave the arena with their heads held high. They never threw in the towel and for the most made their hosts knuckle down to work hard both in attack and defence.

Felton considers that such is the gap between full-time professionals (and good ones at that) and amateurs, only a dreadfully unprofessional approach from the Reds would have given Jordan Reynolds' game Guernsey side a prayer of victory.

And that was never going to happen -Jersey's playing and coaching staff have created a culture that makes that scenario unthinkable.

Reynolds thinks it might be a time for a re-think.

'We did some good stuff out there today. It didn't go the way we wanted it to and the weather didn't help. But it's always hard going in against Jersey, their boys are professionals and ours are labourers and workers, so it's quite difficult for us,’ he told the JEP.

'There were a couple of opportunities we could have scored from, but on the whole the boys did pretty well.

I don't think people realise how much work goes into getting into those positions, so we're pretty exhausted. But credit goes to Jersey, they played well today.

First half we matched their scrum, and put some pressure on their ball too, but second half with our reserves on they got on top. The difference is we've got to bring in a prop who plays at National III to play for the day, otherwise there's a safety issue. We just don't have five or six props.

'We did really well today, I just feel there's too big a league gap between what you can put out and what you achieve out there. And I think that's a big issue for both clubs.

'We're always going to turn around and say we want to play the best Jersey have got. We're a proud club. But the Siam has been a bit of a farce for the last six years, let's be honest. Anyone who plays professionally shouldn't really be playing. But that's not Jersey's fault, there's nothing binding to say they can't do that. So at the end of the day they two clubs just have to sort it out.

'Back in the days, 2007, 2008 spectators loved to come and watch the sport because it was a contest. But it has become very difficult. We've done some really good stuff over the years and I'm really proud of the guys, but it has been difficult to get 22 out. Today we turned up with 21 . . . we just didn't have enough players.’

JRFC chairman Bill Dempsey said: ‘I know what the scoreboard says, but I think Guernsey played some fantastic rugby and were only one or two passes from scoring some really good tries. They should hold their heads up for that.

‘We were in a game that we should have won, and did, but Guernsey put up a great performance.’