Omari Campbell and Nathaniel O’Garro scored two goals each to lead four-time winners and defending champions Naparima College to an emphatic 9-1 come-from-behind win over St Augustine Secondary to kick off the defence of their title in the Tiger Tanks Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Premier Division at Warner Street, St Augustine, on Wednesday.
Coming on the heels of their 3-2 penalty-kick loss to long-time rival and current Coca-Cola Inter-Col holders Presentation College of San Fernando in the SSFL Tiger Tanks Cup season opener on Friday at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva, first-year coach Travis Mulraine, a former national player was keen for his Naparima players to bounce back in their Group A opener.
However, against the run of play, it was the “Green Machine” of St Augustine, under the guidance of another first-year coach Tacuma Jones, who took a surprise lead within six minutes of the start after some clumsy defending by the visitors.
But that turned out to be the lone bright spot for St Augustine on the afternoon as Campbell and O’Garro got braces while Kanye Francis, Andres France, Israel Joseph, and Terrell Rajoon were all on target along with an own goal to cap off the win.
Speaking after the lopsided contest Mulraine said it was nice to see that his players were able to rebound and get the win away from home after the disappointment of losing the Tiger Tank Cup clash.
“The defeat against Presentation came like a blessing in disguise to us and young players have a tendency to become complacent and tasting defeat early in the season was a good wake-up call.
“Even today in the win, it was evident that again we saw some complacency in our game with players wanting to run too much with the ball, and that is something we have to curb, going forward,” said Mulraine.
In the other matches in Group A, Speyside High School got a double from Jarlon Toppin in the 13th and 77th while Reyes Gray, Lenox Eastman, and Milz Johnson added one each in 5-0 beating of hosts Carapichaima East Secondary at Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva; St Anthony’s College got first-half strikes from Joshua Millette and Mordicai Forde to blank Pleasantville Secondary 2-0 at Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Training Field, Marabella, and St Benedict’s College got a second-half strike from Ephraim Brown to earn a 1-1 draw with travelling Fatima College who had taken the lead via Khiba Romany at the Moruga Multipurpose Sport and Youth Facility.
Yesterday’s results
Naparima College 9 (Omari Campbell 2, Nathaniel O’Garro 2, Kanye Francis, Andres France, Israel Joseph, Terrell Rajoon, own goal) vs St Augustine Sec 1 (Jordan Ferdinand)
Speyside High 5 (Reyes Gray 3rd, Jarlon Toppin 13th, 77th, Lenox Eastman 84th, Milz Johnson 90th) vs
Carapichaima East Sec. 0
Fatima College 1 (Khiba Romany) vs St Benedict’s College 1 (Ephraim Brown)
St Anthony’s College 2 (Joshua Millette, Mordacia Forde) vs Pleasantville Sec 0
SATURDAY’S MATCHES
Group A
St Benedict’s College vs Carapichaima East Sec @ Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva
Fatima College vs Naparima College @ Fatima Grounds, Mucurapo Road
Speyside High School vs St Anthony’s College @ Speyside
St Augustine Secondary vs P)leasantville Secondary @ St Augustine Ground, Warner Street
SOURCE: T&T Guardian
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