San Juan Jabloteh v W Connection.It was not as exciting as the Pro Bowl final but the thrills were there. The crowd was massive. Defence Force strolled past Petrotrin to win the 3rd place trophy but everyone was really waiting for the Jabloteh-Connection showdown. I eh go lie I come out supporting Jabloteh tuh de hilt. Between de girls and Shurwayne Winchester trying to get people to winde dung de place - de atmosphere was nice and buzzing - main stand packed - ah feel good.
Jabloteh started hot with Josh Johnson giving a clinic to the Connection left back with some daisy-cutting step-overs and darting runs down the right. One time it was so embarassing - de ball was played long and the Connection left back had about a 5 yards headstart, Johnson turned, sprinted and ran past him- hey dah man real quick oui. Somehow it looked like Jabloteh's night until Connection started to claw their way back and ended up dominating the first half, coming close to scoring on many ocassions but just muffing the shots .Attiba looked composed at the back and the goal keeper Jan Williams looked sharp.
Then the momentum swung back to Jabloteh who began to play very very high upfield - almost at the half-way line.
To give you a picture of what the Jabloteh boys did I think it is fair to say that the second half almost belonged entirely to Jaboteh and the game was played almost entirely in Connection half of the field. Jabloteh's backline of Keyeno Thomas, Ian Gray,Nigel Daniel and Cyd Gray started to click and easily man-handled the Connection attackers and even when Connection brought on Randolph Jerome to give them some punch up front they man-handled him into becoming a spectator too. Except for the few times when he was trying to jinx his way into the box Whitley was always double and triple-marked as Connection did their best to deny him any space.
Kerry Baptiste looked fit and quick all night but was unlucky not to finish some penetrative runs down the middle. Angus Eve made some slick passes and turns and he too messed a few chances to trouble Jan Williams the Connection keeper. Devon Mitchell led the Jabloteh line for most of the game but he did not really manage to force saves from Jan Williams. He was replaced around the 70th minute by Addlery and Condrington came on for a tiring Angus Eve at the same time. Trent Noel was solid down centre for most of the game. However the worst was to come for Jabloteh as the full time whistle blew and it was down to penalty kicks and Connection brought out their Brazillian brigade.
The unthinkable happened as three Jabloteh players mis-fired or to put it another way two of them were blanked by man-of-the-match Jan Williams from Connection:
First penalty - midfielder Trent Noel for Jabloteh- saved by Williams
Connection scored - Goal
Second penalty - striker Nigel Codrington for Jabloteh - Goal
Connection - Luis Seabra saved by Daurance Williams
Third penalty - striker Nicholas Addlery for Jabloteh - saved by Williams
Connection - scored
Fourth penalty- defender Cyd Gray for Jabloteh - first shot - hit the cross bar
Kick re-taken ( Williams had moved off his line early) - second kick sailed way over the cross bar
Connection's Earl Jean scored.
I think I got that right, anyway Connection won 3-1 on penalties
Personally I think all penalties were made to be scored.
Jabloteh paid the price for mis-firing.
Before de game started the players paid tribute to referee Ramdan as it was his last Pro League game. He had a good game . He dished out deserving yellow cards mostly inthe second half and- mostly to Connection players including to two Brazilians for diving.
It was a good night after all and well into de crowd was into de game from fus to last whistle.
