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It would appear that some mid-table teams in the
Claro – KSAFA Super League not only made new year’s resolutions,
but have gone a step further to make them a reality. While on
paper some of the results from Saturday’s games were
anticipated, the teams had to go out and work hard for a
favourable result.
When the dust settled, Cavalier joined Rae Town
on 31 points while remaining second (on goal difference). And
while many had thought the league was down to a three (3) team
race, Mountain View, Constant Spring and the Jamaica Defence
Force (JDF) put themselves back into contention for an outside
chance of claiming this season’s championship.
Super League
Mountain View United vs. Meadhaven United –
Excelsior High School
It appears Mountain View and coach Omar Stanley
have found a new lease on life following their third consecutive
victory, which pushed them up to third on 25 points and only six
(6) points behind the leaders. Mountain View led by two (2)
goals a piece from Ricardo Reid (1st & 62nd)
and Troyland Williams (34th & 59th),
thrashed Meadhaven 5 – 1 in their encounter. Neville Brown (47th)
completed the scoring for the home team, while Omari Edwards (54th)
grabbed the visitor’s consolation goal as they remained in 11th
position on six (6) points.
Rae Town F.C. vs. Constant Spring F.C. – Breezy
Castle
The leader having been given a reprieve in the
boardroom following their 3 – 0 loss to Santos in their last
home game was reversed, were apparently still caught up in the
season of giving and it seem their new year’s resolution entails
being more generous and accommodating host at “Breezy Castle”.
While the home team are known to run “rough shod”
over teams who visit their den, not even their Constant Spring
opponents could have anticipated the generous mood the Rae Town
team would have been in, which left them on the wrong end of a
humiliating 4 – 0 whipping. Gregory Walker (21st &
68th), Claudious Walker (53rd) and Andrew
Davis (83rd) were the scorers for Constant Spring,
who have now moved seven (7) points behind the leaders while
remaining fifth.
Barbican F.C. vs. Jamaica Defence Force S.C. –
Barbican Playfield
Sixth place Jamaica Defence Force edged eighth
place Barbican 2 – 1 and also moved up to join Constant Spring
on 24 points. Garvey Simms’ brace (7th & 68th)
gave the soldiers victory, while Dasean Meeks (37th)
pulled one back for the home team who remained on 16 points
Cavalier S.C. vs. Santos F.C. – Constant Spring
Playfield
As previously thought, the clash of the round was
at the Constant Spring playfield, where host Cavalier redeemed
themselves from their only loss of the season after returning
the 2 – 0 defeat that a “10 man” Santos team had dished out
earlier in the season.
In fact it was the Santos team that came out
firing on all cylinders as they camped out in their opponent’s
half for the first 5 minutes and fired off three (3) shots at
goal in the process. In the 10th minute it again
seemed it was going to be Santos’ day when the diminutive
Cavalier striker Loxley Thompson was shown the red card for a
vicious tackle on an opponent near the half line.
However, the visitor’s celebration was short
lived as four (4) minutes later the Santos defence was found
wanting and Fabian Swaby finished off an Oneal Morrison cross
following a swift 2 on 1 counter attacking move which gave
Cavalier the lead from close range.
For the rest of the half the teams tussled in
midfield, with only a shot from the edge of the visitor’s 18
yard box by Cavalier new signee Demetrio Billett troubling the
Santos custodian. At the other end Fabian Nethersole shot
across the goal from an acute angle went inches past the back
post, while Nicholas McCreath playing his first game for Santos,
failed to capitalize on a goalkeeping error in the 25th
minute and also kicked straight at the Cavalier’s keeper
following a corner kick in the 37th minute. in
midfield, with r a vicious life
In the second half Cavalier took control of the
game and Billett missed from five yards in the 50th
minute following a good combination play with Phillip Riley,
then Morrison missed another chance from 14 yards following a
good right side build up which found him unmarked in the
visitor’s penalty area.
In the 70th minute Morrison created
space for himself on the right side of the visitor’s half but
his pass to substitute Donovan Alvaranga was fluffed as the
resulting shot 8 yards from goal, looked more like a perfect
kick at an NFL goal. Alvaranga however redeemed himself in the
76th minute when he slot home Paul Grant’s through
pass.
Santos came close to pulling back a goal but
McCreath shot just wide from 18 yards, then Fabian Nethersole
watched his header clip the crossbar before going behind for a
spot kick in the 83rd minute. The final opportunity
fell to Alvaranga in stoppage time when his shot across the face
of goal from six yards was tipped around the upright for a
corner kick.
Bull Bay F.C. vs. Real Mona F.C. – "Bull Pen"
Seventh place Real Mona moved up to 20 points
after a Jordan Moses 59th minute goal gave them a 1 –
0 victory over host Bull Bay, who remained on 11 points and
still perilously close to the drop zone.
Duhaney Park F.C. vs. Maverley/ Hughenden F.C. –
Baldwin Crescent
The Duhaney Park versus Maverley fixture was not
played as the 12th place Maverley team turned up more
than half an hour late and with only nine (9) players for the
game. A decision on this game should be made in the days ahead.
Major League
Meanwhile in the six (6) games played in the
Claro Major League on Saturday, Liguanea United edged
Swallowfield United 1 – 0 at Buttercup Park, Police Nationals
whipped Whitfield Town 4 – 0 at St.A.T.H.S., University of the
West Indies (UWI) despite a brace from Andre Bernal went down 2
– 3 to Brown’s Town at the UWI bowl, leaders Central Kingston
stopped Greenwich Town 3 – 0 at Tinson Pen, Rockfort edged host
Molynes United 2 – 1 and Cooreville Gardens led by two (2) goals
from Andrew Christie outscored Olympic Gardens 5 – 2 at the
Cling Cling Oval.
Syd Bartlett
The Claro Syd Bartlett League resumes today with
four (4) games following a two (2) break. In the day’s fixtures
Red Hills will host Shortwood United, Stony Hill tackles Seaview
Gardens, New Kingston F.C. entertains Meadforest, while the
Island Special Constabulary (ISCF) will go up against Allman /
Woodford. All games are scheduled to begin at 3:00 p.m. |
