Fatima conquer 'Compre' to lift North InterCol.
By: Kern De Freitas (Express).[/size]
Defending champions Fatima College delivered the one-two knockout punch to neighbours Mucurapo Senior Comprehensive to secure their second successive lien on the RBTT InterCol North Zone title yesterday.
A first half strike by Jevon Morris and goals by Stephen Knox and Yohannce Williams gave the 2005 national InterCol champs their first, and most important, victory to date this season against Mucurapo by a 3-0 scoreline.
In the league competition, Mucurapo pipped Fatima 3-2, before taking the return fixture 3-1.
This time it was perhaps fatigue that caused "Compre" to falter at the final hurdle, but it is also a fair bet their "big game" debility may have played a part in yet another loss.
While Mucurapo spent most of the first half trying to get a feel for their opponents' tactics, Fatima took just a few minutes to settle in after some nervous moments.
They tested the waters through Sherron Joseph, who hit wide on six minutes. Then Morris shot wide in the tenth.
By then, Mucurapo had settled in and threatened to keep Fatima goalie Adrian Foncette on his toes with some neat diagonal passes into the area.
The match ran at a high tempo, so much so that it seemed only a matter of time until something gave.
That something was the Mucurapo defence, and the time was the 16th minute. Morris had all the Fatima supporters out of their seats when he collected the ball between two defenders. With lots of time and space, he raced towards "Compre" custodian Denzil Carabon and slotted low inside his right post for Fatima's first.
Mucurapo skipper Kevon Piper and company pushed for the equaliser that would not come. The "Big Five" runners-up were plagued by what they might term bad decisions, as Piper was twice contentiously adjudged offside in a dangerous position.
National Under-20 player Khaleem Hyland had also all but beaten his T&T teammate, Foncette, only for another dubious call to spoil the chance.
Mucurapo came out of the dressing room trailing 1-0 and hungry for the equaliser, but nothing could prepare them for Fatima's second in the 52nd.
Morris was once again involved, bringing the ball from the middle of the park when he spotted a running Knox and slipped him the ball. Knox controlled beautifully and threaded between the onrushing Carabon and the far post to double his team's lead.
Mucurapo never gave up. Al Muhammed was their best player on the night and was a constant threat to Fatima. But Foncette was also in fine form, cutting out the dangerous corner kicks and cross balls.
Substitute Fabien Thomas headed on Muhammed's cross in the 68th, but Foncette was on hand to save. Eight minutes later, Muhammed found Hyland, who relayed the ball to Piper, but his blast was again saved. In the 84th, Hyland missed from close range, banging wide of an open goal with Foncette committed.
Fatima added insult to injury in the 90th, when an unsure Carabon failed to collect a cross and an alert Knox headed into the path of Williams, who knocked home from close range. It was a moment to celebrate for Fatima, while it was yet another "big game" collapse by Mucurapo.
St Augustine cop East Zone crown RBTT InterCol.
By: Roger Seepersad (Express).[/size]
St Augustine Senior Comprehensive's footballers are having an impressive season this year. First, they topped the East Zone league competition, then lifted the Big Five trophy, and yesterday, added the RBTT East Zone InterCol title to their list of accomplishments for 2006.
St Augustine powered their way to the top of the East Zone league standings, scoring 56 goals, and are the only undefeated team in all schools competition this year. San Juan Secondary Comprehensive were unable to halt that unbeaten run, at the Larry Gomes Stadium yesterday, the Bourg Mulatresse boys going down 1-0.
The goal came in the 79th minute, very much against the run of play. St Augustine made a quick throw-in, and the ball landed at the feet of captain Elton John, who had the world of time and space to line up his shot. Even the keeper, Samuel Glenroy, who had previously conceded just eight goals, was surprised when he finally saw the ball drifting into the upper corner of his citadel. By that time it was too late.
St Augustine did not get into a good rhythm until the second period of play.
"We had to get our act together and tweak our game going into the second half," coach Michael Grayson said, after the game.
San Juan also had problems stringing passes together on the water-logged field, but had more--and better--opportunities to score. Finishing let them down.
Grayson, though, paid tribute to the losers.
"We were always going after the treble and making a clean sweep in the zone. San Juan is a good team and they played well. We have always had a fierce rivalry and this year we came out on top."
