A headed goal from striker Chinua Bernard in practically the final play of the match secured a come-from-behind 4-3 victory for St Mary’s College over rivals Fatima College in the North Zone of the bgTT First citizen Secondary Schools Football League, to keep the Saints unbeaten after two matches.
St Anthony’s College, the reigning North Zone and National InterCol champion, also remained with a 100 per cent record when it dropped Diego Martin North 3-1. Meanwhile, East Mucurapo responded from its 1-0 loss to St Mary’s in the SSFL opener to edge Queen’s Royal College, 3-2.
Playing away at Fatima Ground, Mucurapo, and trailing 3-1 at half time, coach Jason Edwards’ charges responded in mature fashion to grind out a victory to remember. Dominic Jangoo opened for Fatima in the 20th, which was followed quickly after by his second seven minutes later. The Saints pulled one back three minutes later, through Rashad Hyacinth, but Fatima made it 3-1 at half time, when Maquis Hoyte responded in the 35th minute.
Within moments of the second half, the comeback was on when Bernard, the scorer of last week’s winning goal for the Saints, lobbed the Fatima custodian to make it 3-2.
With pressure mounting and the match nearing its end, St Mary’s found the equaliser through substitute winger Jelani Christopher with five minutes remaining via a close-range effort.
It appeared to be too much for Fatima, which cracked when Arvin Prescod was handed a straight red card for a shove to the face at St Mary’s skipper Miles Yorke off the ball.
With a turnover, St Mary’s made the extra player count in the final breath of the match, when Bernard rose from a free kick to head a glancing effort into the net, much to the excitement of the traveling support.
The win both for St Mary’s and St Anthony’s put the two teams on six points, while Fatima suffered consecutive loss with a combined seven goals conceded. Malick was on a bye for the match day.
John steers Green Machine past Arima
Ricardo John scored a second-half hat-trick as St Augustine Secondary came from behind to slip past Arima North 3-2 when East Zone continued at the Arima Municipal Stadium in Arima, yesterday.
Going into the match, both teams had won their opener with St Augustine blanking El Dorado East 2-0 and Arima North outgunning San Juan North 5-4.
Arima North was the first to find the target with Kwesi Windsor scoring in the 18th minute for a his team to lead 1-0 at the half, however six minutes after the re-start John got his first for the “Green Machine” to tie the match, before he added another six minutes later for a 2-1 lead.
Three minutes from full-time John completed his hat-trick and sealed the win for St Augustine, while national Under-20 striker Aikim Andrews conceded an own-goal in the dying minutes as Arima North pressed.
In the end, St Augustine held on for its second win from as many matches, against a main rival to lead with maximum six points, three more than Arima North, San Juan North, El Dorado East and El Dorado West which was stunned 3-2 by Trinity East at Trinity.
Corey Stewart went from hero to villain for El Do East as his two first-half strikes earned his team a 2-0 win at home over Valencia before he along with Jamal Mohammed of Valencia was red carded.
At Trinity, a late penalty from Tariq John sealed a 3-2 win for Trinity East College over El Dorado West.
Down South, Reinaldo Atwell’s late brace gave defending champions Presentation an easy 3-0 win over Pleasantville. Angel Williams’ first half strike also led to Pleasantville’s second lost to start to the season.
In other matches, Shiva Boys and Naparima battled to a 2-2 draw, while the Princes Town, Mayaro encounter ended in a 1-1 stalemate.
In Tobago, reigning champion Scarborough was held to a 2-2 draw by Roxborough, while Speyside secured its second win with a 4-0 drubbing of Bishop’s high.
Results
North Zone:
St Mary’s 4 (Rashad Hyacinth 30th, Chinua Bernard 48th, 90th+ Jelani Christopher 85th) v Fatima 3 (Dominic Jangoo 20th, 27th, Maquis Hoyte 35th)
East Mucurapo 3 v QRC 2
St Anthony’s 3 (Kwesi Allen 24th, Shaquille Long 57th, 82nd) v Diego Martin North 1 (Josh Toussaint 40th)
East Zone:
St Augustine 3 (Ricardo John 51st, 57th, 87th) vs Arima North 2 (Kwesi Windfor 18th, Aikim Andrews 90th)
El Dorado East 2 (Corey Stewart 8th, 12th) vs Valencia High 0
Trinity East 3 (Akeel Modeste 18th, Tyrik John 53rd pen, 86th pen) vs El Dorado West 2 (Brian De Vertuile 39th, Keshorn Seecharan 47th)
South Zone:
Presentation 3 (Reinaldo Atwell 74th, 85th, Angel Williams 36th) vs Pleasantville 0
Shiva Boys 2 (Shaquille John 43rd, 60th) vs Naparima 2 (Martieon Watson 3rd pen, 47th pen)
Princes Town 1 (Keion La Rode 35th) vs Mayaro 1 (48th)
Tobago:
Mason Hall 5 (Michael John 2, L'Che Edwards, Brandon Joseph, Akini James) v Pentecostal Light and Life 0
Signal Hill 6 v Goodwood High 0
Speyside High 4 v Bishops 0
Roxborough 2 v Scarborough 2
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