San Juan North Secondary and Presentation College San Fernando stayed perfect in Group B as action resumed yesterday in the Tiger Tanks Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Premier Division, setting up a showdown in the final round for the top spot.
San Juan are currently on top of the standings via a superior goal-difference and they maintained their golden run with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Malick Secondary at St Mary’s College Ground, St Clair.
Meanwhile, Presentation playing away to Queen’s Royal College overcame the Royalians 2-0 in their own backyard.
In the other Group B games yesterday, Trinity College East defeated East Mucurapo Secondary 2-1 while Chaguanas North Secondary edged Moruga Secondary 1-0.
“Pres” and San Juan are already into the next round by virtue of finishing in the top two in the group but after dominating the other teams, the pair will square off on the final match day with everything to play for.
San Juan North started their game without leading scorer Larry Noel and were made to fight hard for their victory thanks to a first half penalty that was converted by Lindell Sween and a late winner from Jardell Joseph.
Malick conceded a penalty in the 21st minute and Sween stepped-up to put the leaders in front. And is stayed that way until late in the second half when Malick’s Lendelle Baptiste brought the scores level with about ten minutes to go. Baptiste’s strike was only the second goal conceded by the Group B leaders this season.
Noel, eventually coming off the bench, had a long-range effort blocked by the Malick defence in the 80th before Sween’s 86th minute free-kick found the head of Joseph at the far post as San Juan sealed the win for full points.
At QRC Ground, both “Pres” and QRC had opportunities in the first half but it was the visitors that made the breakthrough in the 25th minute with Isaiah Jacob shaking off Malic Harraman down the left flank before serving up a cross to the unmarked Daniel Quashie in front of goal.
By the time the QRC defence realised their mistake, it was too late, with Quashie beating the advancing Shemuel Cassimy before burying his left-footed shot in the back of the net.
Three minutes later, a Pres corner found the head of a QRC defender before falling at the foot of an outstretched Phillip Gray for an own goal.
“Pres” coach Shawn Cooper maintained that they were taking it one game at a time. “Steady going. We are playing one game at a time,” he said. Asked about their next clash against San Juan, Cooper said: “We go back to the drawing board and we hope to do very well on that day.”
Yesterday’s Premier Division Group B results:
Chaguanas North Sec 1 vs Moruga Secondary 0
QRC 0 vs Presentation College 2 (Daniel Quashie 25th, Phillip Gray (OG) 28th)
East Mucurapo Sec 1 (Jermon Gulston 42nd) vs Trinity College East 2 (Desailly Bastien-Cowen 50th, Jean-Luc Romero 52nd)
Malick Secondary 1 (Lendelle Baptiste 79th) vs San Juan North Secondary 2 (Lindell Sween pen 21st, Jardell Joseph 86th)
SOURCE: T&T Express
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