Naparima rout Siparia 6-0.
By: Peter Christopher (Express).
Six goals from six different scorers were more than enough to set up a 6-0 victory for defending champions Naparima College over Siparia Secondary in the BG T&T Secondary Schools Football League South Zone yesterday at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella, in the first encounter of a double-header.
Siparia found themselves out-hustled and out-muscled by "Naps", who dominated the midfield thanks to the efforts of Joseph Jayson, Shahdon Winchester and Cion Samuel.
Naparima were on the scoresheet as early as the 14th minute through Hillaire, who capitalised on a well-taken right side corner and never looked back. Samuel's goal (35th) and Keston Smith's item (43rd) also came off right side corners. Nigel Wright (27th) also found the net in the first half.
In the second period, Corey Cyrus got the ball rolling once again for Naparima in the 46th, and they capped off the scoring in fine style, thanks to Dwayne Edwards in the 61st.
Edwards may have felt aggrieved when his long range attempt came off the underside of the crossbar. But the rebound found its way back to his feet at the top of the box, and he unleashed an unstoppable volley in to the top right hand corner of Siparia custodian Nicholas Bhola's goal.
Siparia could not utilise a one-man advantage after Jayson was given marching orders for abusive language, and Naps coach Shawn Cooper later questioned the decision to expel his player for foul language not directed at any official or opposing player.
Still, there was no disputing who was the victor on the day in the encounter with an emphatic 6-0 victory in Naparima's favour.
QRC battle to 2-2 draw at Fatima.
By: Kern De Freitas (Express).
Queen's Royal College showed true grit to end their four-match losing streak when they pulled off a last ditch 2-2 draw away to Fatima College in the BG T&T Secondary Schools Football League North Zone at Mucurapo Road yesterday.
QRC's share of the points came by virtue of a Brendon Balbosa own goal in stoppage time, but the visitors would doubtless welcome the goal all the same, after losing all their previous matches except the opener against Trinity College.
Malick Secondary Comprehensive also remain on even keel with St Anthony's College at the top of the "North" standings with 16 points and identical goal differential, after completing a 4-1 whipping of Trinity College at St Mary's College's Serpentine Road Ground, Port of Spain, partly thanks to another Akeem "Crouch" Bailey double.
Yesterday, Fatima asserted themselves early and attacked at will for virtually all of the opening period. The pressure told as early as the fifth minute, when Chad De Freitas blasted an attempted clearance by QRC defender Shabaka Mahluli past custodian Yannick Duchaussee for a 1-0 Fatima lead.
The porous QRC defence were overworked, with national under-15 striker Jerrel Britto being successfully isolated up front by the Fatima backline. The "Royalians", apart from the rare stab at goal- the best such was a tame pat by Britto at Fatima goalie Christopher Coker-were busy defending in the first period.
Fatima doubled their lead through the speedy Andrew Tinto, who beat Duchaussee in the 39th with a first-time finish after QRC failed to clear a cross through their six-metre box from Kaejay Ramoro.
QRC had much of the same when the second period started, but absorbed the early pressure. As the game wore on and Fatima grew tired, the Royalians grew bolder in attack, which bore fruit in the 63rd. Britto was freed up on the left with an incisive pass and was brought down by Brenton Balbosa in the area. Keron Doldron stepped up and fired past Coker to cut QRC's deficit to a single goal.
Fatima seemed to be waltzing to full points when QRC's pressure and a stroke of luck combined in injury time to Balbosa's dismay, and the visitors' joy.
The other North Zone encounter yesterday, which featured defending North Zone champs Mucurapo Secondary Comprehensive and Diego Martin Secondary, could not be played due to a deficit of officials at Diego Martin's ground.
St Anthony’s, Malick locked at top.
T&T Newsday Reports.
St Anthony’s and Malick are the joint leaders of the North Zone after round one ended in the bgTT Secondary Schools Football League 2007 yesterday.
Malick trounced Trinity 4-1 at the Hasely Crawford Stadium to keep abreast of the “Westmooring Tigers.”
There is nothing to separate the two as both have 16 points and a goal difference of +11. The pair played to a goalless draw on September 22 and will have in their sights the return fixture on October 16, a match which could decide the title.
In the other game, Fatima and QRC played to a 2-2 draw at the Fatima Grounds. The result is a serious blow to Fatima’s championship hopes as they are now six points behind the zonal leaders. Toco Composite leapt to third in the East Zone with a 4-0 thrashing of El Dorado at the “Blue Thunder” home ground.
Toco went ahead in the first half but with “El Do” pushing for the equaliser in the second period the Toco boys added to their misery with three more strikes to kill off the contest.
East Zone leaders, San Juan were held 1-1 by a resilient Arima Senior Comprehensive team at the Larry Gomes Stadium. The “Dial Dynamos” as the Arima team is known showed good determination to take a point from a confident San Juan team which won all their precious matches.
Carapichaima Senior Comprehensive seems certain to retain their title as they are now nine points clear of their closest rivals Chaguanas. The 2006 Central champions mauled Tabaquite 5-2 at home and are now a perfect six wins from as many games. Presentation lost to Marabella Junior 1-0 and slipped to fourth in the Central Zone while Chaguanas edged Waterloo High School 1-0.
In the South Zone, Naparima hammered Siparia Comprehensive 6-0 at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella, while lowly Moruga beat Vessigny 3-1 but still remained at the bottom of the standings.
