A SECOND half header from Upper Six student Jamell Cooper earned the “Green Machine”, St Augustine Secondary, a hard-fought 1-0 home win over Tobago’s Signal Hill Secondary, moving them atop the Secondary Schools Football League Championship Division Big 5 promotion series with one round of matches to go.
“That means we are back up in the Premiership,” excited St Augustine head coach Tacuma Jones, stated following the victory.
St Augustine now have seven points from wins over North champions Blanchisseuse Secondary and Tobago Championship winners Signal Hill and also drew goalless with Central Zone winners Miracle Ministries Pentecostal High School. St Augustine complete their series against South champions Moruga Secondary, having already clinched one of the three promotion spots with yesterday’s win.
Signal Hill and Blanchisseuse both have four points with one match day left and are vying to fill the other two promotions spots, following the relegation of Pleasantville Secondary, Chaguanas North Secondary and Tobago’s Bishop’s High School from the Premier Division last season.
Yesterday’s match was close, both teams coming into the fixture unbeaten. It could have gone either way and it took Madison Lewis’ twice having to pull off one-on-one saves against striker Jermain Morgan and key midfielder J’Meke Watkin to keep the Tobagonians out. Towering central defender Ethan Friday also put a first-half header over, as Signal Hill delivered several dangerous corners.
“We were effective today,” Jones explained, “Signal Hill was pressing us. They had a good structure in terms of moving the ball. I had a lot of injuries, so we decided to get one goal and defend.”
The home team also had chances, with Nkosi Fuentes dipping a shot over from a dangerous wide-right position, and Cooper was also running clear before being pulled down by defender Jaquon Defour, who was lucky to get only a yellow card. But when the ball was played across the face of goal, Cooper was there first, beating Signal Hill goalkeeper Rondell Marcelle with a 53rd minute header.
“I know that my team needed me today, so, I said I will come and give my all and make sure and get at least one goal in the back of the net,” Cooper said. “We have worked really hard for this and we have not lost a home game since the season started.”
SOURCE: T&T Express
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