St Clair’s cruise to Pepsi FA Cup.
By: Joel Bailey (Newsday).
Vernon Wilson netted a hat-trick to guide St Clair’s Coaching School to a 4-1 victory over Charlotteville Unifiers to capture the Pepsi-sponsored FA Cup at the Dwight Yorke Stadium, Bacolet, Tobago.
The club owned by ex-national coach Bertille St Clair, were the dominant side on Wednesday night, and were spurred on by a crowd estimated at 3,500.
Coaching School got things going after 45 seconds, as midfielder Denzyl James raced down the right flank and crossed to striker Brian Browne who directed his header beyond the reach of Charlotteville’s goalkeeper Tyrone Brown.
Charlotteville missed a clear chance to equalise in the fourth minute, as defender Jamal Jack latched on to a right-side corner from captain Garvin McKenna but drove his right-footer inches wide of the mark.
Kevon Martin also failed to level the scores in the tenth minute, when he received a pass from Kervern Murphy and sent his left-footer off-target.
The result was settled in the 28th minute, as keeper Brown needlessly muffed a defensive back-pass, and Wilson simply tapped home the loose ball from inside the penalty box.
Coaching School were always in the hunt for more goals, but had to wait for the third goal which came four minutes into the second half, as Kaylon Morris, left free on the right flank, centred to Wilson who thundered his header into the left-hand corner of the net.
And Wilson completed his hat-trick in the 57th, converting a penalty after he was brought down in the area by Charlotteville’s Jahur Martin.
Charlotteville were noticeably frustrated at the state of the game, and captain McKenna received marching orders in the 65th minute from referee Lester Alleyne after the ex-Joe Public midfielder floored his opposing skipper Tyrone Walters.
But it was Morris Eastman who scored for Unifiers five minutes from time, after a purposeful right-side run from substitute Kervin McKenna.
Sidey’s FC won the third-place trophy with a 4-3 win over Bethel Credit Union Bethel United in the earlier contest.
This 40-minute-per-half affair got off to a scrappy start, with both teams struggling to make any impact in the wet conditions.
Sidey’s striker Glenroy Fredrick broke the deadlock in the 39th minute when he side-footed his right footer past an advancing Bethel goalkeeper Harold Mark, to finish off a good move involving Ryan Gray and Pavel Warrick.
One minute later, Bethel levelled the scores when captain Dwayne Marcelle beat the off-side trap, rounded keeper Lincoln Kent and shot home, despite the desperate efforts of defender Kwesi Kent to clear the ball.
Eight minutes into the second half, Sidey’s regained the lead when Kirton Warrick rifled home a penalty under the dive of Mark, after captain Junior Lyons was bundled over inside the box by Gary Cadiz.
Lyons stretched the advantage to 3-1 in the 58th, when Pavel Warrick’s determined run down the right opened up the Bethel’s defence, and squared for Lyons to tap into an open net.
Bethel who were under pressure for most of the contest, pulled a goal back courtesy Marcelle, whose 68th minute header was expertedly placed beyond the reach of Kent following a pass by Downie Marcelle.
Sidey’s fourth goal was scored by Pavel Warrick who, left unmarked headed home following a good left-sided move by Frederick.
Bethel got a late third goal from Jason Surrey who drilled his headed effort into the back of the net in time added, from a Kurt Wilson’s corner.
