For the past three years, St Anthony's College have been unable to beat Mucurapo Senior Comprehensive on the football field. Coach Nigel Grovesnor and company will be hoping their 3-1 victory over the defending North Zone champions is the start of a revival this season.
The only two survivors from last year's starting line-up were national Under-17 player Kevin Molino, and fellow midfielder Kern St Louis. Add a positionally-uncertain custodian in Kwame Farrell and that recipe spelled trouble for "Compre".
After weathering some nervous moments early in the opening session, St Anthony's grew in confidence. One of several raids was cut short with a sliding tackle in the 16th minute, but Tigers' skipper Uriah Bentick bent the resulting free kick beyond Farrell, whose mis-timed leap could not stop the ball from hitting the net. He would hit the metalwork twice more in similar fashion before the end of the match.
Soon after, officials were forced to interrupt the match when torrential rain flooded the outfield. Still, Joevin Joes and St Louis came close to answering for Mucurapo before the half, the latter forcing two good saves out of St Anthony's and national Under-23 goalie Kevin Mussio.
Emery Joyeau wasted the gift of a ball across goal in the 35th, but somehow missed Qian Grovesnor's cross with Farrell beaten.
It would take them until the second half to find the mark again, this time through Rhondele Allen, who dived low to head a Joyeau corner kick past Farrell in the 49th, sparking jubilant celebrations among the St Anthony's fans.
Grovesnor (Q) had asked several questions of the Mucurapo defence throughout the match, but his best efforts were thwarted in front of goal by Farrell and his defenders.
But Farrell had no answer for Grovesnor in the 83rd. The wily forward ran down the left flank and crossed through a crowd of players, Micah Lewis completing the move with a simple tap in.
Molino took charge of the Mucurapo attack much too late in the game and provided their consolation goal with a wonderful solo effort on the right flank. He eluded three defenders and slotted under a diving Mussio to open his team's 2007 account. Too little too late for the Mucurapo Road side, who will have to work hard to regain their North Zone crown this year.
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