Boyce beaver fires San Juan into final
By Nigel Simon (T&T Guardian)Striker Renaldo Boyce scored a somewhat controversial beaver-trick as San Juan North Secondary booked a spot in the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) National Inter-Col final with a come-from-behind 4-1 win over Trinity College of Moka, yesterday.
With the win at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, the Jerry Moe-coached San Juan North advanced to the national final set for Tuesday against the winner of tomorrow’s other semifinal between Presentation College of San Fernando and Signal Hill Secondary, which takes place at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella, from 3.30pm.
At Mucurapo, Trinity Moka was first to strike when a right footed free-kick taken by the lively Saleem Henry on the left side of the San Juan North 18-yard box was turned past his own own goalkeeper Shawndell Byer, by national Under-17 defender Kerdell Sween in the tenth minute.
However, six minutes later, the first bit of strange officiating arosed when Boyce, who appeared to be in an offside position tapped the ball into an open net at the far post, after a long throw-in from Kyle Thomas into the area. The ball fell to a teammate who shot at goal, but Jerome Cyrus fell into his path.
Boyce then had a chance to make it 2-1 in the 29th minute, but after being put through on the left flank, he failed to beat Trinity Moka goalkeeper Desean Bowen with a weak effort.
San Juan North was then reduced to 10 men in the 38th minute when captain Lukeman Brooks was shown a straight red card by referee Cecile Hinds for a two-footed studs-up sliding challenge on a Trinity Moka player near the midfield area.
Despite the man advantage, Trinity Moka failed to take any of the other chances that fell its way in the first-half as both teams went into the dressing room evenly matched at 1-1.
Five minutes after the re-start, Trinity Moka was presented with a golden chance to regain the lead from the penalty-spot by referee Hinds after stand-in captain Thomas was whistled for a handled ball in the area.
However, it was not to be as Henry stepped up and side-footed his attempt wide of the mark to let San Juan North off the hook.
Boyce then had a chance to put San Juan North ahead for the first time in the match in the 52nd, but after robbing goalkeeper Bowen of the ball inside the 18-yard box, he himself was relieved of the ball by the lucky goalkeeper.
But three minutes later Boyce made amends as he latched onto a clever through pass from in his own half, and with Bowen way off his line, he smartly lobbed the ball into an open net for a 2-1 San Juan North lead.
The burly Boyce then completed his hat-trick in the 61st minute, from what looked another clear missed off-side call, after team-mate, Cyrus’ right footed blast ricocheted into play off the cross-bar into his path.
And to put the icing on the victory, Boyce then completed his beaver-trick with another lob finish past an advancing Bowen to seal a well deserved vctory for San Juan North and with it a chance at a second ever National Inter-Col crown.
In yesterday’s other match, Tobago Zone champions, Signal Hill Secondary battled past Central Zone winners, Carapichaima East Secondary 4-2 on penalty-kick after a 1-1 draw at the Dwight Yorke Stadium, Bacolet.
YESTERDAY’S RESULTSQuarterfinalSignal Hill Sec 1 vs Carapichaima East Sec 1 – Signal Hill won 4-2 on penalty-kicks
SemifinalsSan Juan North Sec (Renaldo Boyce 16th, 55th, 61st, 87th) vs Trinity College Moka (Kerdell Sween o.g 10th)
San Juan defies Trinity with 10 men
By Nickolai Madray (T&T Newsday)Renaldo Boyce booked San Juan North Secondary’s spot in the 2016 finals of the Coca Cola National Intercol after netting a beaver-trick in difficult circumstances to register a stunning 4-1 victory over Trinity College at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, yesterday.
San Juan were a goal down and a man down in the first half but Boyce turned things around with a tremendous performance.
The East champions now await the winner of the semifinal involving Presentation College San Fernando and Signal Hill Secondary which is scheduled to kick off tomorrow at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium. Signal Hill got past Carapichaima East 4-2 on penalties yesterday after their quarterfinal game ended 1-1.
Speaking to Newsday after yesterday’s win, Jerry Moe, coach of the San Juan North Secondary team declared: “The team fully deserved the victory as everyone stepped up and played a role in the win today, as well as Boyce came up big and we’re really proud of him.” He warned, however, that while the team could revel in the moment, training resumes today in preparation for the final on Monday.
San Juan will be without their captain Lukeman Brooks for the final, though, after he was shown a straight red card following a dangerous tackle. Elaborating on the impact of missing his skipper for the title match, the coach expressed: “There are 20 something players in the squad and they are trained based on the roles and functions of the positions they play, therefore I am confident the team would be stable and organised for the finals.” Trinity College started the game confident and got the goahead goal in the 10th minute after Saleem Henry’s freekick caused problems for the defence and the ball deflected off the head of San Juan’s Kurdell Sween and ended up in the back of the net. San Juan took five minutes to respond as Kyle Thomas’ shot found a lurking Boyce on the far post as he bundled the ball into the goal even though he looked to be in an offside position.
Trinity College got a numerical advantage as San Juan’s captain was on the receiving end of a straight red in the 38th minute following a rash challenge and apparent words to the female referee. Trinity could have gone ahead after the break as they were awarded a penalty in the 50th minute but it was not meant to be, Saleem Henry’s attempt went well wide of the target as the score remained deadlocked.
After the penalty miss, momentum switched and it was the 10 men - or rather one - from San Juan North who stole the show as Boyce scored a second half hattrick and completed his quadruple to secure the victory. After a long clearance in the 58th, Boyce found himself between two defenders and an onrushing ‘keeper and fired a well-placed shot into the back of the net. Boyce got his third after Jerome Cyrus took a thunderous shot that rebounded off the crossbar and fell directly for the striker to slot home.
However, the man of the match saved his best goal for last as he placed the icing on the victory cake with a delicious lob of Trinity’s keeper, Jaelani Dowers, in the 88th minute to secure the result for San Juan North.
Coach of Trinity College Moka acknowledged the penalty miss as the turning point of the game as well as elementary mistakes in both halves which he felt cost them dearly.
“This is part of life and football as today one team had the desire and passion that was needed to win a game of this magnitude.
We would definitely take this as a learning experience when we prepare for next year’s campaign,”
Boyce scores four on Trinity…Ten-man San Juan North advance to InterCol final
By Garth Wattley (T&T Express)One goal down, and later one man down; no problem!
Showing the hunger and resilience of InterCol, East Zone champions San Juan North Secondary deservedly booked their place in next week's Coca-Cola National final with a 4-1 beating of North Zone winners Trinity College Moka in a game of incident and irony.
Robust striker Reynaldo Boyce wrapped himself in glory with all four goals for San Juan, who overcame the potentially destabilising loss of their skipper, Lukeman Brooks, after just 38 minutes, to end hopes of a national triumph for Trinity.
The Moka Boys could not have imagined how things would have turned out after they had taken the lead after 10 minutes, San Juan defender Kurdell Sween heading firmly pasty his own goalkeeper from a curling left side Saleem Henry free kick.
But the reality was, while they might have had the more cohesive build-up play and showed more skill in possession, the Trinity attackers lacked end product, which was not the case at all with San Juan's Boyce.
Arms out-stretched, stepping the triumphant steps of a conquering king, he celebrated each goal with aplomb. But his side's success was more about the collective effort than any individual brilliance.
They game changed—in San Juan's favour—once they lost their skipper when referee Cecile Hinds gave him a straight red for “insulting and abusive language” when he responded verbally after she had awarded hand-ball against him. He offered no protest as he made the long trek across the field to the dressing rooms. But at least his side had already restored parity. Boyce had done so five minutes after the Trinity goal when he side-footed into an open net from close range after a ball floated in from the right side was not dealt with by the Trinity defence.
Defensive errors would be the story of the afternoon for Trinity. Goalkeeper Desean Bowen, in particular, had a painful time.
After San Juan had got to half time still level, they turned up the heat on Trinity and their keeper in the second period. Refusing to go on the defensive, they did just the opposite, being more aggressive and putting pressure on the Trinity defence and Bowen, who had shown a penchant for drifting out of his penalty area.
And calamity struck for Trinity 12 minutes after the break when Boyce won his challenge on the last defender, and with Bowen well outside the 18-yard box, lifted the ball some 20 metres into an empty net.
Trinity coach Marlon Minguel would have stressed defensive concentration and discipline to his charges pre-game. But the Trinity plans fell further to pieces in the 63rd minute when, totally unmarked, Boyce had the simple task of tapping into an empty net after Jerome Cyrus' rocket of a drive cannoned off the cross bar and straight to him, with the keeper again gone missing.
And custodian Bowen's difficult day was completed when he found himself stranded again outside the area in the 88th minute and Boyce calmly booted the ball home.
The quiet San Juan supporters, outnumbered on the day, had by then made themselves more visible at the front of the covered stand of the Hasely Crawford Stadium. They were there to celebrate a victory in style, over adversity.
In other Boys InterCol action yesterday, Tobago champs Signal Hill Secondary reached the semi-finals when they beat Central Zone winners Carapichaima Secondary 4-2 on kicks from the penalty mark, following a 1-1 stalemate in normal time at the Dwight Yorke Stadium.
They will now face Presentation College San Fernando at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium tomorrow.
Also at Manny Ramjohn tomorrow, the Signal Hill girls will play Fyzabad Secondary in a national semi-final, this after drubbing Carapicahma 12-0 at the Dwight Yorke.
Results (Coca-Cola Boys InterCol)National quarter-finalSignal Hill 1 Carapichaima 1 (Signal Hill won 4-2 on kicks from the penalty mark)
National semi-finalSan Juan North 4 (Reynaldo Boyce 4) Trinity Moka 1 (Kurdell Sween o.g.)
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