St Augustine Secondary registered their third win of the BGTT-First Citizens Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) yesterday when they scraped a 2-1 win against Trinity College Moka.
However, the big shock of the day came in the marquée clash between Naparima College and St Anthony’s College. The “Tigers” from the north came away with a 1-0 win, becoming the first team to beat the defending champs this season.
Meanwhile, Shiva Boys Hindu College predictably drew with Presentation College San Fernando 1-1 at their ground in Penal. But the stalemate allowed Presentation to draw level on points with Naparima but they remain second to their old rivals on goal difference.
Elsewhere, San Juan North Secondary moved into third after whipping Carapichaima East Secondary 3-0 in Carapichaima; Queen’s Royal College travelled to Tobago and scored a 2-0 win away to Speyside High; Fatima College drew with St Benedict’s College 1-1 at Mucurapo Road, while St Mary’s College upset Fyzabad Secondary 2-0 down in deep south, to get their season back on track.
In St Augustine, no team throughout the 90 truly looked in the ascendency. In the end, it was goals from set-pieces that made the difference.
The first ten minutes went back and forth between the two teams, with no team truly stamping their authority. St Augustine would threaten first when St Augustine forward, Anthony Samuel, was up-ended by Caleb Moore in the Trinity goal, when he was put through from the midfield with just the Trinity goalkeeper to beat.
Jesse Joseph scored from the resulting free kick with a deft flick of his right boot, leaving Moore rooted to his line to send the Green Machine into the lead in front of around 100 screaming classmates and fans.
The lead wouldn’t last for long however, as Trinity equalised seven minutes later. St Augustine conceded a free-kick on the right wing, and the visitors made no mistake in taking advantage as their left back, Joshua Trumpet attacked the ball bravely in the crowded area to head easily past Yannic Gamaldo in the St Augustine goal.
Just before the stroke of the half hour, Trinity’s live-wire number ten Tirek George, bamboozled his marker and had the keeper second-guessing as his left-footer flashed wide past the post and hit the side netting.
Trinity were neater of the two teams in possession in the first half, a trend which continued into the second period. They almost went ahead again but Gamaldo raced bravely off his line to thwart the opportunity. The hosts responded in kind when their wide forward Anthony Samuel ran onto a through ball, but was also blanked by the Trinity keeper.
For the next twenty minutes the match ebbed and flowed, with Trinity taking better care of the ball, and St Augustine racing up the bumpy pitch on the counter-attack when they won it back.
Joshua Marshall put the hosts into the lead with a header from a free-kick in the 66th minute, copying the Trinity equaliser in the first half. The central defender made good on his threat from a set-piece yesterday.
The goal proved to be the difference between the two teams who fought tooth and nail in a clean match, but could not add to their tallies in the second half.
Yesterday’s SSFL Premier Division scores
Shiva Boys HC 1 v Presentation San F’do 1
Naparima 0 v St Anthony’s 1
Speyside High 0 v QRC 2
Fatima 1 v St Benedict’s 1
Fyzabad Secondary 0 v St Mary’s 2
St. Augustine 2 v Trinity Moka 1
Carapichima East 0 v San Juan North 3
Teams (by wired868)
Fatima College (4-1-4-1): 21.Akil Guerra (GK); 24.Joshua Gooding, 5.Tyreke Moore, 23.Mosiah Griffith, 13.Rivaldo Prince (16.Joshua Araujo-Wilson 73); 8.Jahreed Murray (captain); 7.Jonathan Casimire (20.Stephon Marcano 63), 18.Kyon Williams, 12.John Michael Herrera, 15.Liam De Verteuil (2.Yohance Sealy 78); 10.Sebastien Camacho.
Unused Substitutes: 1.Kareem Fermin (GK), 17.Krishan Spence, 28.Sky Pouchet-Benoit, 9.Jireh James.
Coach: Hayden Martin
St Benedict’s College (4-2-2-2): 12.Jabari Gray (GK); 13.Jeron Pantor, 27.Tevin De Boulet, 3.Taryll Coutou (captain), 15.Mickel Ravello; 8.Kadeem Gittens, 7.Shakille Williams; 20.Kerwin Mitchell, 17.Tarik Eastman (14.Shaquille Du Boulet 46); 23.Jevaughn Humphrey (2.Levi Crawford 57), 10.Shemar Ravello (28.Marlon Phillip 69).
Unused Substitutes: 1.Jaspar Mcleod (GK), 6.Matthew Joseph, 16.Vishal Gunness, 22.Caleb Gaspar.
Coach: Dexter Cyrus
Referee: Kevon Nancoo
Man of the Match: Jonathan Casimire (Fatima College)
Tigers upset Naps 1-0
T&T Newsday Reports
ST ANTHONY’S, known as the “Westmoorings Tigers”, caused the biggest upset of the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) BGTT/First Citizens Premier Division 2015 season yesterday.
St Anthony’s travelled from Westmoorings to Lewis Street in San Fernando to inflict a 1-0 beating on the league leaders Naparima.
Haile Beckles scored in the 85th minute for St Anthony’s, who ended Naparima’s unbeaten run for the season.
Presentation San Fernando missed a chance to claim first place when they were held to a 1-1 draw by Shiva Boys at Penal while San Juan North jumped one spot to third when they spanked Carapichaima East 3-0 at Carapichaima.
St Mary’s and QRC earned 2-0 wins away to Fyzabad and Speyside respectively, St Augustine pipped Trinity North 2-1 at St Augustine while Fatima drew 1-1 at home to St Benedict’s.
STANDINGS
..............................P...........W.......... D.......... L...............F..............A........... Pts
Naparima.............. 7...........5........... 1........... 1...............10............3........... 16
Pres Sando........... 7...........5........... 1........... 1...............16............10......... 16
San Juan............... 7...........4........... 1........... 2...............13............6........... 15
St Mary’s............... 7...........4........... 1........... 2...............14............6........... 13
Shiva Boys............ 6...........4........... 1........... 1...............8..............3........... 13
St Benedict’s......... 6...........3........... 2........... 1...............7..............7........... 11
St Anthony’s.......... 6...........3........... 1........... 2...............8..............9........... 10
St Augustine.......... 7...........3........... 1........... 3...............8..............9........... 10
QRC...................... 6...........2........... 3........... 1...............7..............5........... 9
Fyzabad................ 5...........2........... 0........... 3...............6..............10......... 6
Trinity North........... 6...........1........... 2........... 3...............12............14......... 5
Speyside............... 6...........1........... 1........... 4...............9..............14......... 4
Carapichaima........ 7...........0........... 3........... 4...............5..............13......... 3
Fatima................... 7...........0........... 3........... 4...............10............14......... 2
Trinity East............ 6...........0........... 0........... 6...............4..............14......... 0
16