Defending Coca-Cola National InterCol champion Fatima College, Naparima and San Juan North remained unbeaten, but Malick Secondary tasted defeat and dropped points again as the Premier Division of the Secondary Schools Football League continued Saturday afternoon.
Entering as the firm favourites to win, the Malick players have only themselves to blame as they thoroughly outplayed their opponents but countless woeful and wasteful efforts in front of the opponent's goal – including a penalty in the 83rd minute which defender Ackeem James blasted over the crossbar, saw them slip from the unbeaten ranks.
The undefeated teams took full advantage and moved three points further ahead, with Naparima hammering East Mucurapo 7-0, as expected, San Juan North edging past Queen's Royal College 2-1 courtesy of goals from Jaheem Danclair in the 39th minute and Lindell Sween in the 75th, while Fatima got double strikes from Aidan De Gannes and Jonathan Mason in crushing Pleasantville Secondary 5-0 at their Mucurapo Road home ground.
At their Serpentine Road facility, Malick, who returned to top-flight SSFL football just last year, entered as heavy three or four-goal favourites and this prediction seemed on track when they opened the scoring after just seven minutes from Oba Samuel.
The expected rout seemed on as Malick dominated the proceeding for the remainder of the half, creating chances in abundance, but just could not convert to add to their lead and were stunned when it was the Tobago-based school who was next on the score sheet to level the game at 1-1, with Nkosi Quashie sending the goalkeeper the wrong way in converting from the spot after Omar Daniel was bundled over in the area.
Malick responded well and continued to create opportunities and it was only outstanding work by the Speyside custodian Makaya Taylor, who kept them at bay, with one particularly spectacular play seeing him high to his right to keep out a dipping left-side cross that seemed destined for goal. Their wastefulness was highlighted as even when the ball fell invitingly to Josante Duncan on top of the area, he flashed his shot well over the crossbar.
After the break, the Malick boys again created chances in bunches but were again wasteful as they all came to nothing with Samuel, the scorer of the opening goal, being especially guilty and squandering a golden chance midway in the half when the ball rolled nicely for him from a wonderful build-up, but he dragged his attempt wide of an open goal.
They were then given a massive lifeline in their quest for maximum points and to remain unbeaten when in the 83rd minute Samuel was brought down in the six-yard box and the referee pointed to the penalty spot. James caught the missing bug and blasted high over the bar.
Malick was made to pay dearly for several missed chances, with James who now appeared unsettled after the penalty miss, fumbled the ball into his own net from a Speyside attack in the 92nd minute, when a share of the points seemed on the cards.
Speyside manageress, Kristal Griffith, said her charges came with a plan to move up the standing by getting maximum points and was elated that they did it.
Saturday's Results
Malick 1 (Oba Samuel 7th) vs Speyside 2 (Nkosi Quashie 25th pen, own goal (90+2)
San Juan North 2 (Jaheem Danclair 39th, Lindell Sween 75th) vs QRC 1 (Micagh Nelson 83rd)
Presentation College 3 (own goal 61st, Vaughn Clement 83rd, 90th) vs Chaguanas North 0
Naparima 7 (own goal, akiel Vasprey 27th, 51st, Jabari Forbes 52nd, Tevin Pantor 62nd, Xarion France 79th, Nathaniel O'Garro 80th) vs East Mucurapo 0
Fatima College 5 (Aidan De Gannes 2, Jonathan Mason 2, Christian Bailey) vs Pleasantville 0
St Anthony's College 3 (Andell Fraser 2, Theo Cravador 1) vs CIC 0
St Benedict's College 1 vs Arima North 1
Current Standings:
Positions*Teams*P*W*D*L*F*A*Pts
1*Naparima College*4*4*0*0*29*2*12
2*Fatima College*4*4*0*0*18*0*12
3*San Juan North*4*4*0*0*13*4*12
4*Presentation*4*2*1*1*4*2*7
5*Malick*4*2*0*2*14*4*6
6*Arima North*4*1*3*0*10*2*6
7*Speyside Sec*4*2*0*2*6*5*6
8*QRC*4*2*0*2*4*5*6
9*St Anthony’s College*4*2*0*2*5*9*6
10*East Mucurapo*4*2*0*2*3*13*6
11*St Benedict’s College*4*1*1*2*7*6*4
12*St Mary’s College*4*1*0*3*11*14*3
13*Chaguanas North*4*1*0*3*1*23*3
14*Trinity East*3*0*1*2*2*4*1
15*Bishop’s High*3*0*0*3*1*7*0
16*Pleasantville*4*0*0*4*0*27*0
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