Marcano helps Gustine take East Intercol

In a match which was marred by the sending off of three Arima players the “Green Machine” should have won by a bigger margin. The visitors seemed to be the more hungry of the teams and had three chances early in the first half, with one of the efforts coming back off the cross bar.

The home team was reduced to ten players in the 10th minute as Jomol Francois was issued two yellow cards. While they were a man short, Arima had a couple of chances as well but were unable to convert. The match seemed to be heading into the break still in a dead-lock; however, Marcano delivered the eventual winner from a right sided free kick which sent the supporters into frenzy.

Arima came out in the second half and got a couple more chances one of them went to their talisman, National U-20 forward Marcus Gomez but shot came of the foot of a defender. Things got from bad to worse for the home team as Gomez and Kern Roberts were also sent for early showers after picking up their second yellow cards.

Gustine had a couple of chances to take advantage of the situation; however, despite being down to eight players Arima was somehow able to prevent another goal.

After the match the Green Machine’s coach Michael Grayson said it was a good effort in the end from his boys. “We did what we came to do and that was to win. It matters not how it came, all we are concerned with is the fact that we won.

It was unfortunate that Arima had three players sent off, but their coaching staff will have to deal with that.

Grayson said it felt good to get the better of Arima who won the East Zone league title. “They beat us to the title so we are happy that we were able to return the favour and take the Intercol title. This is what we were aiming for along but some how we fell short. We now have the Tobago team next and the win will do a lot for the confidence of the boys,”

Meanwhile Coach of the East Zone league champion Peter Lewis said it was good to see his boys still fighting after being at a disadvantage due to the three sending offs.

'Green Machine' win rough East final.
By Roger Seepersad (Express).

"Green Machine" St Augustine Secondary were crowned Coca Cola Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) East Zone InterCol champions after edging eight-man Arima North Secondary 1-0 in the zonal final at Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar yesterday.

St Augustine led 1-0 at the half after Nicholas Marcano's free kick from just outside the penalty area went all along the ground into the bottom corner of the net past Shundell Mayers in goal for Arima.

The goal came after St Augustine had created some good chances to score in the first half and after Arima were reduced to ten men when Francois Jomoul was sent off in the 17th minute for obscene language.

Even with ten men Arima, the East Zone League champions, fought hard in the second half to try and level the scores but the St Augustine defence somehow kept Arima at bay.

Arima's assault on goal started in the 57th minute with Kwasi Windsor's scintillating run down the right side.

When he eventually crossed the ball, most of the Arima players were waiting inside the box and two shots on goal followed, with one blocked by the defence and the other saved by St Augustine goalkeeper Romario Romain.

Windsor himself got into the action when his effort was deflected by a St Augustine defender.

The action kept going at the other end two minutes later, with St Augustine's Aikim Andrews passing to Shannon Gomez who found Jordan Devonish with just the Arima keeper to beat, but Devonish's shot went well wide of goal.

Arima kept attacking with Sampson Taryk's shot sailing just wide of the mark.

St Augustine had another good opportunity to double their lead in the 69th minute after they won a free kick just outside the penalty area after Andrews went down.

Marcano, the St Augustine goalscorer from the first half failed to replicate his earlier success, hitting this one hard and way over the bar. But it was Arima who then really lost the plot and had two more players ejected from the game.

In the 75th minute, Kern Roberts was shown the red card for violent conduct, while Marcus Gomez was ejected for a second yellow card.

Arima's captain Rondell Elie was also cautioned in the match, while St Augustine's Akeem Garcia and Marcano were also shown yellow cards.

Windsor kept playing attacking football up front and was still creating good chances to score but Arima did not have the personnel to support him.

In the other zonal final yesterday, Speyside Secondary defeated Scarborough Secondary 2-1 at Dwight Yorke Stadium, Tobago.

Speyside will now meet St Augustine in the National InterCol quarter-final on Friday at the Dwight Yorke Stadium in Tobago.

Yesterday's InterCol Scores

East Zone Final

Arima 0 vs St Augustine Secondary 1 (Nicholas Marcano 43rd)

Tobago Zone Final

Speyside 2 vs Scarborough 1