St Anthony’s College, defending BGTT/First Citizens Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Zonal and National League champions will be looking to extend its 22-match unbeaten run dating back to the first day of last season, when it travels to Serpentine Road for a 3.45 pm clash with bitter rivals St Mary’s College in the first “battle of the Saints” this season.
Having won all 19 of its matches last year, en route to sweeping all four titles at stake, the “Westmooring Tigers” kicked off their zonal defence with a 2-1 win over Queen’s Royal College, followed by a 0-0 draw with promoted Diego Martin North Secondary which ended its winning streak at 21.
However, the Nigel Grosvenor-coached Tigers returned to their winning ways on Saturday with a 2-0 home win over Trinity College to lead with seven points and will be confident of extending their run against the “Saints,” who are fourth on the table with four points from three matches, one behind East Mucurapo and two adrift of second-placed Fatima College.
He acknowledged that today’s test against St Mary’s would be a much more competitive affair than last season. “Just like us, St Mary’s lost some of their best players, but I expect it to be a much more competitive fixture than last year. In any case, I will never count out CIC. I have full respect for the school and Jason (Edwards). Tradition carries the school a long way.
Their players play for the school and their discipline counts for a lot,” said Grosvenor. Grosvenor will have a full team with the exception of injured midfielder Savion Kirton, who has pulled out with a problematic hamstring.
He will be replaced by forward Shaquille Long, who will drift back into a deeper position, with another forward stepping into the line-up. So far this season, the “Saints” edged Diego Martin 1-0 but then went under to Fatima by the same margin before battling to a goalless draw with East Mucurapo in the last round.
Depending on the outcome of the “Battle of the Saints”, Fatima, which lost its opener to East Mucurapo 2-0 but rebounded with 1-0 wins over St Mary’s and QRC, and can go top of the table with a win at home to Diego Martin at Fatima Ground.
In the day’s other match, Trinity College welcomes cellar-placed QRC to Moka, Maraval with the Clint Marcelle-coached Royalians still in search of their first point. With East Zone leader, Arima North on a bye, joint second-placed teams, defending zonal champ El Dorado East and San Juan North, both on four points will have a chance to take the outright lead based on their results today.
The El Dorado East “Blue Thunder” which was on a bye last Wednesday travels to Trinity East College. San Juan North journeys further east for an interesting clash with Toco. In the zone’s other match, former champions St Augustine will be seeking its first win of the season in three matches away to El Dorado West.
Down South, leaders Presentation College of San Fernando led by striker Shackiel Henry is expected to pick up its fourth straight win to start the season when it plays away against cellar-placed Moruga, which is yet to pick up a point from two matches.
Defending champion Shiva Boys, second with six points from two matches, faces a tricky clash away to Princes Town while Naparima College entertains Pleasantville at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella. The Central and Tobago Zones have a rest day today and will resume play on Saturday.
Today’s Fixtures
North
Fatima vs Diego Martin North, Fatima Grd
St Mary’s vs St Anthony’s, Serpentine Road
Trinity vs QRC, Moka, Maraval
East
El Dorado West vs St Augustine, El Dorado
Trinity East vs El Dorado East, Trinity East
Toco vs San Juan North, Toco
South
Moruga vs Presentation, Moruga
Naparima vs Pleasantville, Manny Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella
Princes Town vs Shiva Boys’, Princes Town
Standings
North
Teams P W D L F A Pts
St Anthony’s 3 2 1 0 4 1 7
Fatima 3 2 0 1 2 2 6
East Mucurapo 3 1 2 0 4 2 5
St Mary’s 3 1 1 1 1 1 4
Diego Martin North 2 0 1 1 0 1 1
Trinity 2 0 1 1 2 4 1
QRC 2 0 0 2 1 3 0
East
Teams P W D L F A Pts
Arima North 3 2 1 0 9 2 7
El Do East 2 1 1 0 5 3 4
San Juan North 2 1 1 0 3 1 4
Trinity East 2 1 0 1 2 2 3
St Augustine 2 0 2 0 2 2 2
El Do West 3 0 0 3 3 8 0
Toco 2 0 1 0 1 7 1
South
Teams P W D L F A Pts
Presentation 3 3 0 0 9 2 9
Shiva Boys 2 2 0 0 5 0 6
St Benedict’s 3 1 0 2 10 6 3
Princes Town 2 1 0 1 3 4 3
Naparima 3 1 0 2 2 6 3
Pleasantville 3 0 0 3 2 8 0
Moruga 2 0 0 2 2 11 0
Central
Teams P W D L F A Pts
Carapichaima 2 2 0 0 15 1 6
Chaguanas North 2 1 1 0 3 0 4
Presentation 2 1 1 0 2 0 4
Couva West 2 1 0 1 6 3 3
Tabaquite 2 0 0 2 0 9 0
Gasparillo 2 0 0 2 1 14 0
Tobago
Teams P W D L F A Pts
Speyside 1 0 1 0 3 3 1
Scarborough 1 0 1 0 3 3 1
Mason Hall 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Signal Hill 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Roxborough 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
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