Arch-rivals Queen’s Royal College (QRC) and St Mary’s College (CIC) were made to share points in a 2-2 tie on Saturday in round one action of the Premier Division of the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) at St Mary’s College Ground on Serpentine Road, St Clair.
After a cautious start, QRC may feel they should have been ahead as early as the third minute. Zayne Coltrust was picked out from a perfectly delivered cross from a right-side free kick that found him inside the CIC penalty area, but he could not direct his header on target.
The Royalians later threatened again with a build-up down the right side, where Jahseem Pierre paraded all afternoon. The ball bounced awkwardly in the St Mary’s College defensive area on another attack down the right flank in the 10th minute, before it landed at the feet of Pierre, whose low curling attempt was pushed wide by Donnell Thomas in the CIC goal.
However, the Royalians would not be denied in the 12th minute. Elijah Noel used his height to telling effect, leaping high to head home a right-sided free kick for a 1-0 lead.
QRC’s dominance, under head coach Kenwyne Jones, enabled them to pepper the CIC defence at will. And it led to their second goal of the match, as Pierre was put through, down the right flank and though being closely challenged in the CIC area, Pierre cut inside to put himself on a one-on-one with the goalkeeper, before calmly slotting the ball past the onrushing goalkeeper in the CIC goal for a 2-0 lead in the 37th minute.
Despite playing at home, St Mary’s attacks on the QRC goal were few and very far in between. Still, they could have cut the score in half soon before the halftime interval. Jaylon Manswell, lurking deep inside the QRC goal area, was picked out from a right-side cross, but he failed to put his header on target with two minutes of time added on in the first half.
Coach Cornell Glen, who represented the T&T team at the 2006 World Cup in Germany, saw a much better approach when his charges returned to the pitch after the break. And they had only themselves to blame when Josiah Hunte was adjudged to have been fouled just outside the QRC goal area. And Finn De Freitas was immediately put on a one-on-one with goalkeeper Affan, but De Freitas’ attempt was somehow fisted over the crossbar in the 48th minute.
However, persistence paid off for the home team. Another build-up down the right flank led to a pass from right to left directed to Hunte, which reached its target as QRC defender Zain Griffith failed to make a clearance in the 59th minute. And when Hunte collected, he made good on his responsibility by slotting the ball past the advancing Affan for a 2-1 scoreline.
The goal gave added hope of a point from the encounter from the home team, though the Royalians were also creating chances.
And in the fluctuating encounter, QRC was unlucky not to put the game away when substitute Samson Wiliams was picked out in the CIC penalty area from a right-side centre. But with only the goalie to beat, Williams failed to make contact with the ball, and it rolled painfully to safety, with the QRC fans already singing their praises.
Instead, the home team got a share of the points in the 90+6 minute from Hunte, who rose high to head home a right-side cross.
After the game, QRC coach Jones said he was disappointed with the result in a match that they should have easily won.
“We had enough chances to kill off the match. I think some of the guys were naive in not doing what we practiced, and it cost us in the end,” Jones said.
Only one match did not play in the first round of action in the top division between San Juan North and Signal Hill as the latter had flight problems.
Saturday's (September 13) results
Trinity College 4 (Jediah David 25th, 48th, 67th, Jakiel Chandler 84th) vs Carapichaima Sec 1
St Augustine 2 (Giovanni Hospedales, Shumba Cudjoe) vs Malick 1
CIC 2 (Josiah Hunte 59th, 90+6) vs QRC 2 (Elijah Noel 3rd, Jahseem Pierre 37th)
Naparima 7 (Arron Raymond 6th, 22nd, 64th, Jabari Rodriguez 36th, Jayden Caprietta 53rd, Malik Charles 77th, Jerrel Cooper 56th) vs Trinity College East 0
Scarborough Sec 3 vs Arima North Sec 3 (Darren Dy Four, Shannon Metivier, Cristiano Hinds)
