QRC tame ‘Tigers’ 1-0.
Queen's Royal College jumped into the lead in the North Zone of the BG T&T Secondary Schools Football League with a 1-0 victory over St Anthony's College at their Hayes Street ground, St Clair yesterday.
The "Royalians" took advantage of a hastily-taken free kick by the "Tigers" in the second half, and substitute Duane Muckette slammed the ball inside Jamal Francois's near post with the goalkeeper not quite in position. Coupled with Fatima College's 2-0 upset loss to neighbours East Mucurapo Secondary, QRC now lead with a superior goal difference.
The "Tigers" themselves will rue their inability to finish in the first half, their attractive possession football making them favourites in the eyes of many spectators. But the final product was not there. In fact, the home team had more chances in the first half, although few threatened Francois's net.
Jerven Blugh shot over on 16 minutes and Harrison Phillips had his effort scrambled off the line by St Anthony's captain Dwight Ceballo.
St Anthony's two best chances in the opening 45 minutes came from striker Cordell Cato in the 27th minute, while winger Shaquielle Rogers booted just over the crossbar. Mikhail Walters also muffed a chance to put the visitors ahead in first half stoppage time.
QRC returned from the break with renewed purpose, and although their midfield was not the most convincing, their defence held like a rock against the St Anthony's attack. In fact, their frustrating defensive efforts allowed them to venture forward with St Anthony's playing three defenders and five men in midfield.
The Westmoorings side were nearly in trouble in the 48th minute when they failed to clear their lines, but QRC's strikers offered them a reprieve. Three minutes later, Francois pulled off a point blank save against Akil Morris only for Phillips to slam the loose ball into the side netting.
Francois was called upon again six minutes later to deny Morris with his legs, as the home team pressed for the go-ahead goal.
The "Tigers" eventually gained the momentum, and once again could have scored, but Rogers was denied late by the defence in the 60th.
And St Anthony's soon became victims of sport's sudden twists, when they were shocked by QRC in the 64th. It started with Francois going down with what looked like cramp, causing play to be stopped. After he received treatment, play resumed so quickly and without the sound of a whistle, that Francois scarcely had time to get back into position.
The free kick seemed to take a ricochet and fell for Muckette, but his shot was anything but lucky; he hesitated but the placement was perfect, and for QRC, so was the result. A late resurgence was not to be for the "Tigers."
QRC could have doubled their advantage but once again, Morris was not able to capitalise with ten minutes to go. There would be no last gasp equaliser for St Anthony's, though, who have now sunk to two losses in their last three matches, in what is turning out to be a very competitive North Zone competition.
Yesterday's SSFL scores:
North
QRC 1 (Duane Muckette) vSt Anthony's 0
St Mary's College 6 v Trinity College 0
Fatima 0 v East Mucurapo 2 (Samuel Belice, Kerdeem Sobion)
East
St Augustine 2 (Dinelle Lopez, Aeion Charles) v Sangre Grande 0
Trinity East 2 (Nathan Ragis 14th, Joel Smith 56th) v Toco 2
San Juan 0 v El Dorado 3
South
Princes Town 1 v St Benedict's 2
Naparima 6 (Brandon Neptune 3rd, Adisa Cumberbatch 28th, Shahdon Winchester 24th, 58th, Jared Bennett 16th, 90th) v Siparia 0
Shiva Boys' 0 v Presentation 1
Central
Waterloo 1 (Shakel Dennis) v Presentation 5
Marabella 0 v Carapichaima 3 (Nathan Jones 8th, 57th, Michael Renaud 74th)
Tobago
Scarborough 1 v Signal Hill 0
Mason Hall 6 v Goodwood 0
Naps win big in South.
By: Peter Christopher (T&T Express).
THE TOP two remained unchanged in the South Zone of the Secondary Schools Football League after Naparima College and St Benedict's College both recorded victories in a doubleheader at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium yesterday.
The La Romaine school were always the better team in their 2-1 win over Princes Town, while Naps routed Siparia 6-0.
In the first game, it took 47 minutes for Benedicts to find the opening goal as left winger Shaquille Stewart found the net.
Striker Shackiel Noel made it 2-0 in 63rd, allowing Benedicts to boss the game from there on.
Kern Gordon was sent off for his second bookable offence following a foul on Stewart, who was a terror in red boots for the P/Town defenders.
Despite this, P/town managed a consolation goal from skipper Simeon Granger from an injury time corner.
Naps had a far easier time, scoring in just the third minute.
Siparia captain and goalkeeper Nicholas Bhola could not hold a left side corner and Naps left back Brendon Neptune tapped home in the six metre box. Bhola was injured on the play and was replaced by Tyrell Andrews, signalling the start of an evening of woe for the Siparia team.
The San Fernando school were a class above throughout, often slicing through the Siparia defence with slick passing and off the ball movement.
The second goal epitomised their play as Akeems Grant, Neptune and Andre Matthew combined well on the left to tee up striker Bennett with a left side cross. He capped off the move of the game with a fine finish in the penalty box in the 17th.
National under-17 attacking midfielder Shahdon Winchester would then stamp his name on the game, heading home a corner to notch the first of his two goals in the 25th, while Adisa Cumberbatch put a penalty past Andrews to put Naps up 4-0 at the break.
Winchester took his second well in the 60th, after being put through by Matthew. The W Connection player would be withdrawn in the 75th, receiving warm applause from for his classy performance. Bennett would close out the scoring with a goal in added-on time to secure his brace.
Mucurapo end Fatima win streak.
T&T Newsday Reports.
Mucurapo ended Fatima 100 percent record in the North Zone of the British Gas Trinidad and Tobago (BGTT) Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Championship Division yesterday.
The defending North Zone winners earned a 2-0 victory over the group leaders at the Fatima Ground with goals from Samuel De Lese and Kadeel Sobian.
But St Anthony’s, who would have needed a win to overtake Fatima for the top spot, fell 1-0 to hosts QRC while St Mary’s trounced Trinity 6-0 at the St Mary’s Ground.
St Augustine notched their fifth successive win in the Championship Division, as they whipped hosts Sangre Grande 2-0 at the Sangre Grande Recreation Ground to widen their gap in the East Zone to six points.
El Dorado moved to second spot after upsetting hosts and reigning East champs San Juan 3-0 while Trinity East was held to a 2-2 draw by the visiting Toco at Trincity.
Naparima continued their unbeaten start, in their defence of the South Zone crown, as they spanked table-proppers Siparia 5-0 at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella.
Second-placed St Benedict’s edged hosts Princes Town 2-1 while Presentation San Fernando pipped Shiva Boys’ 1-0 at Penal.
In a top-of-the-table Central Zone contest, reigning champs Carapichaima whipped second-placed Marabella 2-0 at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva. And Presentation Chaguanas showed no respect to their hosts Waterloo as they strolled to a 5-1 triumph.
Mason Hall kept their lead in the Tobago Zone after battering Goodwood 6-0 at Bon Accord while, in the traditional arch-rivalry between Scarborough and Signal Hill at Plymouth, Scarborough got the better of the 2008 zonal winners 1-0.
16