ST AUGUSTINE head coach Michael Grayson was elated after his team claimed a hard fought 4-3 win from penalty kicks against Chaguanas North in the Coca Cola Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) National Intercol semi-final on Tuesday at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva.
“Gustine” had to come from behind twice to make it 2-2 at the end of regulation against a determined Chaguanas team which was on a high heading into the encounter having taken care of Carapichaima in the quarter-finals.
The “Green Machine” which will return to the final after a couple of years, went into the encounter without four of their players including skipper Shannon Gomez who were all in camp with the National U-17 team which departed for the Cali, Colombia yesterday.
The TT team will be competing in the 11th Tournament of the Americas which runs until the December 10.
“We were not sure if we were going to perform the way they were accustomed to since we were missing the players. We were tentative at the start of the match which resulted in us throwing away the first chance a one on one with the keeper.
Nevertheless the boys played well enough especially in the second half when they started putting the ball on the ground and that was the deciding factor as we were able to keep possession and move the ball around,” said Grayson.
While he will be without the U-17 players for the final the “Gustine” coach feels that his present squad has what it takes to get them the National Intercol title. “We just have a couple days to get ready but I think the boys are prepared enough to handle which ever team we meet in the final.”
Grayson said he will be dealing specifically in the goal scoring area when he takes his team through their final couple of sessions. “We have to work on this area since we need to come out with a win. With one game to go either we put them away and win or we throw them away and loose so that is where our work will centre around for this final,” said the coach.
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