St Anthony’s College edged past Fatima College 2-1 to make it two wins from as many matches in the defence of its North Zone BG T&T Secondary Schools Football League title at Fatima Ground, Mucurapo Road, yesterday.
Shaquille Long and Darryl Trim, with his second in as many matches were both on target to cancel out Joshua Ramdoo’s effort for Fatima as the “Westmooring Tigers” improved to maximum six points.
In the two other matches, East Mucurapo got alone item from Osei Charles in the seventh minute to eked out a 1-0 win over pointless St Mary’s College at Serpentine Road, St Clair while Queen’s Royal College blanked Malick Secondary 2-0 with Jeron Blugh and Akil Morris on target.
Stewart rescues point for Naps
Down South, Shaquille Stewart scored in the dying seconds as defending champions Naparima College earned its first point of the season in a 1-1 draw away to table-leader Princes Town.
Naparima went into the match on the heels of a last gasp 2-1 loss to Pleasantville on Wednesday while Princes Town, led by a hat-trick from Kiel Ribiero, whipped visitors Vessigny 4-1.
The ‘Green Hornets’ as Princes Town are called looked set for a second win when Quinn Gordon fired in a 20th minute go-ahead goal but with the seconds ticking away, Stewart snatched a late equaliser for Naps.
In the day’s other matches, Vessigny which was on an opening day bye blanked St Benedict’s 3-0 with Kevon Mc Farlane (35th), Khadeem Charles (72nd) and Emmanuel Francis (88th) all on target while Aswad Lake’s 23rd minute strike earned Shiva Boys a 1-0 victory over Presentation College.
Sam’s triple gives San Juan 6-0 win
Brent Sam netted a triple to see San Juan North Secondary to a comfortable 6-0 win over Toco Secondary in the East Zone of the Secondary Schools Football League.
San Juan made full use of its home advantage despite on leading 1-0 at the half thanks for a goal from Sheldon Dyer in the 15th minute. Five minutes after the start of the second half, Corie Dhanoolal scored the first of his double in the 50th minute.
He returned six minutes later in the 56th minute to put San Juan up 3-0. Sam took over in the final 25 minutes, putting in his first item in the 67th then in the 76th and closing out in 86th to give San Juan its first win of the season after its opening match against Arima North did not play due to the absence of referees.
The other two matches in the Zone ended drawn with defending champion St Augustine being held by Arima in a goalless affair and El Dorado got a late goal from Joseph Browne, to tie 2-2 with Trinity College East.
Results
North
QRC 2 (Jeron Blugh, Akil Morris) vs Malick 0
East Mucurapo 1 (Osei Charles 7th) vs St Mary’s 0
St Anthony’s 2 (Shaquille Long, Darryl Trim) vs Fatima 1 (Joshua Ramdoo)
South
Princes Town 1 (Quinn Gordon 20th) vs Naparima 1 (Shaquille Stewart 89th)
Shiva Boys’ 1 (Aswad Lake 23rd) vs Presentation 0
Vessigny 3 (Kevon Mc Farlane 35th, Khadeem Charles 72nd, Emmanuel Francis 88th) vs St Benedict’s 0
East
St Augustine 0 vs Arima 0
San Juan 6 (Sheldon Dyer 15th, Corie Dhanoolal 50th, 56th, Brent Sam 67th, 76th, 86th) vs Toco Secondary 0
Trinity 2 vs El Dorado 2 (Jameel Forde 38th, Joseph Browne 87th pen)
Vessigny tame 'La Romain Lions'
By Kern De Freitas (Express).
A humbling 3-0 defeat at the hands of Vessigny Secondary yesterday left St Benedict's College pointless after two Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) South Zone matches at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium in Marabella.
At the 3.45 p.m. kick off, the two teams would have been eager to get their respective campaigns going with full points. St Benedict's lost their opener 3-2 to Presentation College, while Vessigny went under 4-1 to Princes Town West Secondary.
And while the "La Romain Lions" of St Benedict's possessed more of the flair—and chances at goal—it was Vessigny which made those chances count.
They got goals from Kevon MacFarlane, who gave the "Beach Boys" a 1-0 half-time advantage against the run of play, and second half substitute Khadeem Charles (71st), before Emmanuel Francis provided the insurance item in the 87th.
St Benedict's dominated the early exchanges, but despite the fancy footwork of their attacking players, could not get their shots on target.
Keron Brooks had a good individual effort in the 15th, but sliced his shot from the left wide of the near post.
Adekinen Caesar was guilty of wastage too, while Jamille Boatswain forced Lennox George to tip over, the most difficult thing the Vessigny goalie had to handle all match.
But patience paid off for Vessigny ten minutes before half-time when Shakeem George collected a cross at the edge of the 18-metre box and teed up MacFarlane, whose first time right-footer stung the palms of Lewis on the way in.
Vessigny rode that advantage and their luck into the break, as St Benedict's had a goal disallowed for a foul on George, more missed chances and a point-blank save by George with his legs.
St Benedict's coach Leroy De Leon had expected his team to go in at the break at least level and let them have it. They certainly picked up their game on the resumption and pressed for the equaliser.
But Vessigny defended desperately and waited for their chance to counter.
When it came in the 71st they took it, after McFarlane stole the ball on the left flank and set up Charles with a perfect through ball for the finish.
Francis completed the job with his goal in the 87th to ensure there was no way back for St Benedict's.
17