Santa Rosa Big Cannons crushed Arima rivals Malabar FC 3-0 with a dominating performance at the Larry Gomes Stadium training field in a Emerald Apartments & Plaza-sponsored Eastern Football Association (EFA) League Cup quarter-final.
In a fast-paced and physical first-half, the Santa Rosa trio of Johann Contaste, Chris Young and Douane Hamilton controlled the midfield and the Big Cannons took the lead in the 20th minute when Young was brought down in the area.
Captain Jovan Rochford scored from the resulting penalty kick to give his team a 1-0 lead at half-time interval. The second-half brought a furious assault by Malabar but the Big Cannon defence comprising Gyasi, Jovan, Jasimar Ashers and Kendell Campbell held firm.
The match was put beyond Malabar’s reach in the 63rd minute when tricky right winger Kerry Frederick outpaced his marker and sent a low cross just inside the penalty area to substitute Lincoln “Tigger” Brown who finished with a ferocious left footer.
As Malabar desperately pushed forward in search of a goal the Big Cannons added another in the 80th minute when 17-year old left winger Robert Alexis wormed his way past his marker and served the unmarked “Tigger” a precise cross on the far post, which he finished with a simple tap in.
The Big Cannons are now into the League Cup semi-final to be played tomorrow.