Take That and Cool It put their past demons to rest on Saturday with a battling 1-0 victory over Coca All-Stars that ended a three year rut which saw them eliminated at the quarter-final stage of the Caribbean Welders Fishing Pond League ‘Big 8’ each time.
A first half header from Kendal Nathaniel gave ‘Cool It’ the lead but they were forced to hang on for the victory as Coca All-Stars threw everything at them but could not find the equaliser. ‘Cool It’ had their goalkeeper to thank for the win as well as the crossbar which was struck three times. The game should have ended 2-0 but a late effort from Take That and Cool It forward Irvin Reyes on a counter- attack was struck well overbar with just the ‘keeper to beat.
After the final whistle, ‘Cool It’ manager Sherwin ‘Pigeon’ Joseph, was a relieved man.
“After three years of sourness, the table turned. We cross a hurdle and we thank the Lord, we pray for that.
This is what we was looking for and we get it; today was we off day and we pull through. So from the semifinals, I sorry for who coming to face we,” he declared.
Commenting on the performance of his team, Joseph acknowledged: “We could have finished better. We get plenty chances, if we had finish them off in the first half, we wouldn’t be under so much pressure.” And with his team scheduled to come up against the defending champions next, he boasted: “We beating Biche. We have something for them. In the opening (game) they catch we off guard and beat we so revenge. We strikers go be clicking for that game so I not frighten and we back line go be tough. I want to deal with that case before the final. Let me put them to play for third.” Meanwhile on Sunday, Boys Town continued their remarkable run with their seventh straight victory to book their place in the semi-finals. Facing league stage champs Dragon FC, Boys Town came out firing after a goalless first half to slay Dragon who failed to replicate their fiery early season displays.
Squeezing through in the ‘Big 8’ as the eighth seed and missing their suspended midfielder Isaiah Smith, Boys Town were the underdogs but came out fearless. After a 0-0 first period and some advice from their manager ‘Blem’, Boys Town took the game by the scruff of its neck and assumed control. A powerful header from a cross by Kevon Glynn game them a 1-0 lead and Shayden Primus doubled the advantage soon after. It was soon 3-0 with Samuel Bain getting his name on the scoresheet and the game seemingly done and dusted. But Ronny Estick pulled one back for Dragon to make the closing stages a bit interesting only for Afiiba Alexander to make it 4-1 with a thunderous strike at the death.
Semi-final action kicks off on Saturday with Boys Town against Dream Team at 3.15pm while champions G Madrid square off against Take That and Cool It on Sunday at the same time. League organiser Prakash Ramkissoon is imploring all teams to be on time for their matches. The final of the tournament is tentatively carded for November 19. The first prize is $30,000 while the runners-up will take home $7,000. The third and fourth-placed teams will get $5,000 and $3,000 respectively.