Tigers maul Woodbrook 8-0
Kern De Freitas (Trinidad Express).
SLIP AND SLIDE: St Mary's College's Dillon Kirton, right, loses this battle for the ball to East Mucurapo Secondary's Tesfa Corrigon during their BG T&T Secondary Schools Football League match at St Mary's' Serpentine Road, St Clair ground yesterday. The teams played to a 2-2 draw. -Photo: ROBERTO CODALLO
St Anthony's College narrowed their deficit behind BG T&T Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) North Zone leaders Fatima College to three points by mauling Woodbrook Secondary 8-0 yesterday at the Hasely Crawford Stadium training pitch.
Striker Cordel Cato registered a hat-trick to help his team to an easy win, while five other players chipped in to beef up the scoreline in the later stages of the match.
St Anthony's (nine points) are now second to Fatima (12 points), ahead of Queen's Royal College (nine) on goal difference after the Royalians only beat Trinity College 2-0 at Moka. St Mary's College are fourth after drawing 2-2 with defending North Zone champs East Mucurapo Secondary.
Probably still smarting from the 2-1 home loss to St Mary's on Saturday, the "Westmoorings Tigers" started the match in attack mode, looking to get the early advantage on a soggy field. And Woodbrook proved hapless opponents.
The Championship Division newcomers were only allowed one fair chance of getting on the scoresheet in the first period, a shot down the centre of the goal that was held comfortably by St Anthony's goalkeeper Jamal Francois.
For St Anthony's, Luke Hernandez and Mikhail Walters--called "Nani" after the Manchester United winger no doubt-- both had early attempts on goal go awry, and Cato missed early as well. Cato, however, got it right in the 15th, running onto a pass in the penalty area, and slotting it through the legs of Woodbrook goalie Isaiah Cummings.
Six minutes later, Walters doubled the advantage with a first-time volley on Shaquille Rogers' cross. And in the 40th minute, Reshard Allen's long distance blast from out of nowhere caught Cummings unawares, giving the away team a comfortable 3-0 advantage at the break.
Three minutes after play restarted, Woodbrook tried to spark a revival, but Linton Akel found keeper Francois. The Tigers, however, had already smelled blood, and it took them just until the 51st minute to wound Woodbrook once more. Cato it was who rushed in to meet another cross from Rogers, and buried it in the net.
He would earn his third goal in the 65th before being substituted, finding the far post from close range. But for glaring misses, he could have had a few more strikes.
The rout resumed in the 85th, when substitute Ajani Clarence was pulled down in the area and St Anthony's captain Dwight Ceballo stepped up to score. Midfielder Naseef Karimullah slammed home a stunner from beyond the penalty area in the 88th, while Andel Francois, another sub, capped off a bad evening for Woodbrook with a simple finish to Rogers' cross.
To add insult to injury, Woodbrook substitute Abraham Aguilleira was sent off in stoppage time for a crunching tackle on Rogers, the final whistle perhaps bringing relief from an unhappy hunting ground for Woodbrook.
Over in Tobago, Scarborough Secondary's fixture with Mason Hall was put off because of a waterlogged Bon Accord field, while Signal Hill Secondary defaulted to Roxborough Secondary because of inadequate security arrangements.
