ATO BOLDON STADIUM, Couva, 2 MAY 2014 – Seventeen year old forward Brent Sam scored late and set up another on debut to earn San Juan Jabloteh a 2-0 win over St. Ann’s Rangers and qualification into the 2014 Digicel Pro Bowl.
Sam, a member of the club’s Under 18/Reserve team, broke the deadlock in Friday’s qualifier in the 70th minute when his header off a corner hit the underside of the crossbar before entering the back of goalkeeper Akel Clarke’s net for a 1-0 advantage.
Then in the 84th minute, Sam, a former Defence Force youth player and also a San Juan Secondary North student, provided the ball that Neil Mitchell hit into the back of the net for the 2-0 finish after Clarke had kept out an initial strike.
The win secured a five-match undefeated record for coach Keith Jeffrey against Rangers this season, having defeated the St. Ann's club 6-5 in Round One of the Digicel Pro League, 1-0 in Round Two, 2-0 in the play-off round of the recently concluded Lucozade Sport Goal Shield, and drew 2-2 in Round Three.
Rangers meanwhile, had themselves to blame, despite noticeable improvements since the return of former coach Anthony Streete, as caretaker, the position he took up in March following a sacking of present Jabloteh second assistant coach Gilbert Bateau.
Rangers dominated first half opportunities while Jabloteh's ace forward Kerry Baptiste was starved of any tries.
Ten minutes into the match Rangers' Keron Alexander had a go at goal, on a Michael Yaw Darko pass, but his effort deflected wide off defender Jamal Spencer.
Streete's boys were unlucky again in the 18th minute when Darko struck the crossbar and the rebound was spilled wide by Keron Cornwall – all after Kennedy Isles went tumbling over against a challenge by goalkeeper Shane Mattis.
Mattis, returning for the first time since being side-lined by a shoulder injury six weeks ago, was lucky again in the second half when Cornwall headed overbar off Alexander’s cross.
Alexander was also guilty of missing the target six minutes before the break with the goal at his mercy but was spared full disappointment with an offside call.
In the end Rangers, slumped at the bottom of this season’s Digicel Pro League standings with just 7 points from 22 matches, failed to qualify for a second knockout title this season.
While Jabloteh, only ahead of Rangers by 5 points in the league, are into the Digicel Pro Bowl—scheduled to kick off on May 9.
Apart from the pair of late goals at the Couva venue, Rennie Britto’s low effort gathered by Clarke in the 34th minute and Jamal Spencer’s wide effort in the second period where the San Juan club’s only other attempts.
Jabloteh will join W Connection, Defence Force, Central FC, Point Fortin Civic, North East Stars, Caledonia AIA and Police FC next week in the draw for the quarterfinal round of the Pro Bowl.
2014 Digicel Pro Bowl Qualifier
San Juan Jabloteh 2—0 St. Ann's Rangers
Brent Sam 70', Neil Mitchell 84'
Teams
San Juan Jabloteh—30. Shane Mattis, 10. Kerry Baptiste (C) (21. Neil Mitchell 75th), 9. Jelani Felix, 12. Jamal Spencer, 19. Dillon Kirton, 20. Dwayne James, 3. Brent Sam, 7. Rennie Britto (14. Shaquille Bertrand), 16. Nyron Jones, 15. Micah Lewis, 18. Jevon Morris (Yellow Card)
Substitutes—36. Shundelle Mayers (GK), 22. Maurice Ford, 17. Kerry Daniel, 4. Jean-Luc Rochford, 5. Mudassa Howe
Coach—Keith Jeffrey
St. Ann's Rangers—1. Akel Clarke (C), 4. Jelani Peters, 10. Kennedy Isles, 14. Michael Yaw Darko (26. Josh Toussaint), 12. Tevin Gilkes, 16. Keron Alexander (7. Jemel Berot), 39. Shaquille Moses, 31. Jameel Antoine, 51. Keron Cornwall, 32. Joshua Sylvester, 49. Chad Clinton
Substitutes—22. Christopher Biggette (GK), 21. Jair Edwards, 33. Isaiah McIntyre, 44. Sedale McLean, 41. Kevin Carter
Coach—Anthony Streete