Carmel outplay Lodge in exciting showdown
… Region 10 champs crowned
TWO evenly balanced schools demonstrated good football skills yesterday afternoon at the Carifesta Sports Complex ground, but it was Carmel Secondary who came out on top, after they outplayed Lodge Secondary to win by a 2-1 margin, as action in the Digicel nationwide Inter-secondary school football tournament continued. The two teams displayed excellent football fundamentals in executing passes along with receiving, dribbling of the ball and set plays off free kicks, coupled with the support of a vociferous group from their schools. Lodge Secondary went ahead and opened the score sheet in the 22nd minute of the game, thanks to Keith Fletcher.
Ten minutes later and following some consistent raids from the Carmel forwards and excellent goalkeeping at times from Lodge custodian Daly Jamal, who detoured several goal-scoring opportunities for Carmel, Marlon Nedd received a free ball on the right side, made his way past two defenders and slipped same away from Jamal, to nullify Lodge’s lead.
On resumption of play in the second half, both teams demanded possession of the ball forcing the goalkeepers to execute excellent saves as shots from the opposing team came through rapidly, with Carmel’s Wesley Greenidge being equal to the task, along with Jamal.
Jamaal Hamilton’s consistency paid off for his team, as he was determined to score and he did so in the 66th minute, beating Jamal with a low penalty to his left, after being brought down in the area, while Lodge themselves were awarded a penalty, which struck the post even though Greenidge was within striking distance to affect the save, shortly after Hamilton’s strike.
Despite numerous attempts to snatch the equaliser, Lodge, who drubbed East Ruimveldt Secondary 5-0 in their first-round encounter, found the hands of Greenidge to tough to penetrate a second time, while Carmel’s defence offered resistance to see their team through to the next round.
In other matches, Christianburg Secondary, who defeated New Silvercity Secondary last year to be crown champions of Region 10, repeated the feat once again with a 1-0 win at the Wisburg ground, with Mario Batson finding the back of the net off a penalty kick in the 40th minute.
In Berbice, Berbice Educational Institute (BEI) defeated Vryman’s Ervin Secondary 3-1 on penalty kicks, following a 2-2 deadlock at the end of regulation time, with Xavier Lindie scoring both goals for BEI who booked a place in the Regional finals, in the 8th and 57th minute, while Floyd Johnson (44th) and Staymon Murray (77th) responded for Vryman’s Ervin.