San Juan retained the East Zone crown of the BG T&T Secondary Schools Football League title without kicking a ball yesterday.
Before yesterday’s game the champion already had 27 points, with El Do on 18. But El Do slipped up against Toco in the muddy conditions at its Tunapuna ground.
‘Blue Thunder’ now has 19 points and even two wins in the last two matches cannot push it past San Juan. The boys from Bourg Mulatrese are once again Kings of the East, and their next move is the defence of the National ‘Big Five’ title.
Heavy afternoon showers made the pitch at El Dorado waterlogged and difficult to play on. Both teams struggled in the sodden conditions. Chances were created on either end of the field but the players just could not score.
Arima was held to a 1-1 draw by Hillview at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar. The ‘Dial Dynamos’ took the lead in the firsthalf and looked to be on course for a win. But Hillview, fighting to avoid relegation, came back strong in the second period.
The team from Tunapuna threw everything forward and was rewarded in the 75th minute - Darius Peters notching his fourth goal of the season. Both teams had chances to steal the victory in the remaining minutes, but great work by the goalkeepers forced a share of points.
St Augustine pounded Trinity East 9-1 at Trincity, avenging the first round scoreless tie at St Augustine ground. Oswald Wily recorded a beavertrick, while Jervon Vance scored a hattrick to power the Green Machine past the host team.
‘Gustine’ relished the slippery conditions, leading 3-0 at half-time. Then exploding for six more goals in the second period. The big win will boost the morale of the squad which now has to start preparing for Intercol competition.
Mucurapo close in on North Zone title.
By: Kern De Freitas (Express).
North Zone leaders Mucurapo Secondary Comprehensive became the latest BG T&T Secondary Schools Football League team to stand at the threshold of a zonal title with a 4-0 beating of St Anthony's College at Westmoorings yesterday.
Mucurapo made the best of the muddy, sloppy conditions they met on their visit to the "Tigers" lair, unlike their North Zone hosts. But while the result seemed a resounding win, it could have been closer.
What "Compre" have done well all season, though, is to consistently find the net when offered the opportunity. This they did four times with a pair of quick goals in each half, coming close again to another double in the closing minutes before the final whistle confirmed the victory.
More importantly for Mucurapo, the win opens up a healthy 13-goal advantage over second-placed Fatima College and a five-point lead atop the standings.
Although Mucurapo have a bye coming up on Saturday, they need just a point against Fatima tomorrow to seal victory, barring a Fatima-goalfest.
Captain Kevin Molino led by example for Mucurapo, hitting the net once in either half and knocking the wind out of the home team.
But it was Mutar Taylor who got things going in the 33rd minute, collecting a free kick and blasting past St Anthony's goalkeeper Sheldon Clarke. Molino then turned contributor, hitting home from close range to give Mucurapo a 2-0 half-time lead.
The "Tigers" seemed less sure in the watery conditions, but did have some threatening looks at goal. They lacked the finishing touch, however, and the luck of the referee's decisions at times.
They pressed hard to reduce the deficit in the second half, but struggled to make use of chances given.
Bradley Lawrence's header went straight to Mucurapo custodian Michael Duff, while Qian Grovesnor missed out on a few heavily-weighted passes.
On another day St Anthony's might have twice been awarded a penalty, first when Grovesnor was dragged down in the box, and then Micah Lewis was pulled off the ball just inside the area.
Mucurapo sealed the issue with quick strikes in the 83rd, then two minutes later. First, Molino latched onto a cross on the counterattack and chipped over the advancing Clarke. Substitute Tesfa Corrigon then collected a pass in open space from Molino that evaded the St Anthony's goalkeeper, giving Corrigon enough space and time to pick his spot and beat the onrushing defender.
That spelt the end of the match and another big step towards a deserving North Zone title for Mucurapo. Just a point separates them from a National "Big Five" semi-final showdown with Carapichaima Senior Comprehensive.
Yesterday's SSFL results:
North Zone
Mucurapo 4 (Mutar Taylor 33rd; Kevin Molino 37th, 83rd; Tesfa Corrigon 85th) v St Anthony's 0
QRC 0 vs Trinity 1
Trinity 1 v QRC 0
St Mary's 0 v Malick 0
East Zone
St Augustine 9 (Oswald Wily 4, Jervon Vance 3, Kerry Superville) v Trinity (East) 1
El Dorado 0 v Toco 0
Arima 1 v Hilliview 1 (Darius Peters 75th)
South Zone
St Benedict's 2 (Nkosi Simon 12th; Chad Gobinsingh 34th) v Vessigny 0
Presentation 1 (Renofor Martin) v Princes Town 0
Naparima 0 v Pleasantville 0
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