A goal on each side of the half ensured that Naparima maintained their unbeaten record in the Premier Division of the Secondary Schools Football League holding off Queen’s Royal College 2-0 at Serpentine Road, St Clair on Saturday.
Adasa Richardson’s goal made the difference in the first half, but a horrendous own goal from Xavier Caruth four minutes from the end summarised the dominance of the Naparima men. But it meant the Southerners stayed perfect so far with nine wins in as many matches and 27 points.
Despite a solid start to the season, the QRC men were eager to lift themselves from losses in their last two matches. And they looked more comfortable at the start, with Zain Griffith benefiting from a fumble by the Naparima backline, but he failed to get sufficient power in his shot to get it past Mikhail Clement in the Naparima goal in the 11th minute.
Naparima, solid in attack, created problems aplenty for QRC goalkeeper Jaheim Affan, who seemed to have had issues with the movement of the ball, particularly when airborne. And in the 24th minute, Affan found himself scrambling at the end of a thumping shot from Xarion France from the edge of the QRC penalty area.
However, three minutes later, the Royalians offered a telling response that lacked the support, despite being in the Naps’ defensive third. Jasai Theophilus used his speed to get into the Naps penalty box, but when he centred, only the single body of Shazzard Nabbie somehow found his way among a crowd of Naps defenders and still managed to get his boot to the ball, though it sailed over the crossbar in the 27th minute.
QRC coach Kenwyne Jones stood motionless on the side as his charges tried to fashion an opening goal. But he was forced to raise his hands in excitement when the ball bounced awkwardly in the box for Theophilus, only to see the latter’s right-footed drive deflect off the outstretched leg of a Naparima defender in the 32nd minute.
Naps, who defeated Fatima College convincingly on Wednesday at home, were undaunted by the QRC attacks and felt that they should have scored in the 36th minute from a free kick. From a ball that was drilled inside the QRC area, Affan, unconfidently, parried it into the path of Richardson to somehow hit his shot wide of a gaping goal.
QRC, though, could do nothing in the 40th minute when Richardson, this time, turned in the ball from a free kick that was delivered to him from outside the QRC goal area for a 1-0 advantage.
The Royalians returned from the halftime break but found it difficult to get the ball past goalkeeper Mikhail Clement in the Naparima goal. But a moment of horror in the 82nd minute ensured they dropped their guard permanently. Defender Caruth’s attempt to head the ball defensively into the hands of his goalie instead went over Affan’s head and into an empty net to the delight of the Naparima men.
The home team got a late chance when Neomiah Thompson won a defensive blunder that put him on a one-on-one with Clement; however, his attempt to slot the ball into the empty net was pushed wide by Clement to preserve a clean sheet.
TODAY’S MATCHES
Fatima College- 2 (Jahaem Bailey 31st, Jonathan Mason 82nd) vs Signal Hill- 3 (Khaleem Trim 13th, Ackim Duncan 16th, Raevion Marshall 40th)
Trinity East- 1 (Malachi Johnson 90+1) vs Carapichaima Sec- 0
QRC- 0 vs Naparima College- 2 (Adasa Richardson 40th, own goal 82nd)
Presentation College- 0 vs St Anthony’s College- 1
San Juan North- 1 (Jaheem Danclar 45th) vs St Benedict’s- 2 (Malerky Fraser 54th, Elijah David 80th)
St Augustine Sec- 2 (Giovanni Hospedales, Michael Charles 65th) vs Scarborough Sec- 2 (Jalani Johnson 7th, Varel Wilson 57th)
St Mary’s College- 0 vs Trinity College- 1 (Jaden Samuel 48th)
Malick Secondary- 0 vs Arima North Sec- 4 (Darren De Four 33rd, 41st, Kafense McKell 38th, Keston Richards 81st)
SSFL Premiership – Round 11
P*W*D*L*GF*GA*GD*Pts.
1*Naparima College*09*09*00*00*34*02*32*27
2*Fatima College*10*07*01*02*27*15*12*22
3*St. Benedict’s College*09*07*00*02*23*10*13*21
4*Presentation College*10*07*00*03*18*08*10*21
5*St. Anthony’s College*08*05*01*02*22*12*10*16
6*Queen’s Royal College*11*05*01*05*18*18*00*16
7*St. Mary’s College*11*04*03*04*29*18*11*15
8*Arima North Secondary*10*03*04*03*19*16*03*13
9*Signal Hill Secondary*06*04*00*02*18*09*09*12
10*Trinity College*09*04*00*05*12*22*-10*12
11*Trinity College East*09*03*00*06*12*30*-18*09
12*St. Augustine Secondary*10*02*03*05*11*29*-18*09
13*San Juan North Secondary*08*02*02*04*17*18*-01*08
14*Malick Secondary*09*02*02*05*18*23*-05*08
15*Scarborough Secondary*10*01*03*06*11*29*-18*06
16*Carapichaima East Secondary*11*00*00*11*06*36*-30*00
