THANKS to a second-half brace from Marmalique Davidson, this year’s Digicel’s Inter-Secondary School Football Championship Regional champions of Region 10, Wismar/Christianburg Secondary School, defeated Paramakatoi Secondary School 4-0 at the Mahdia Community Centre ground last Sunday. Both teams retained their championship honours in this year’s tournament in contrasting fashion, with Wismar/Christianburg defeating New Silvercity Secondary 1-0 in the Region ten final, while Paramakatoi lost to Mahdia Secondary School 3-1, but won the game after filing and winning a protest in the Region two final.
Sunday’s encounter began in overcast conditions, with Paramakatoi taking the attack to the school from the mining town, dominating the ball and most of the play in their opponents’ third, while at the same time forcing their custodian Daniel English to affect numerous saves.
However, Wismar/Christianburg, who suffered a humiliating 5-3 defeat for top championship honours at the hands of eventual champions Government Technical Institute last year, asserted themselves and began showing some spirited responses of their own.
Their right winger Tevin David, whose father was witnessing the action from the sidelines, made a sterling move to Paramakatoi’s goal area and sent a wonderful cross to Davidson, who opted to dribble the ball instead of taking the shot, much to the disgust of his teammates on and off the field.
At the other end, Paramakatoi’s skipper Emery Wilson forced English to effect another save on his near post, after he (Wilson) wormed his way inside the opposition’s defence, while English was forced to go full stretch to block another shot from Charlie Bernard.
When referee Stanley Lancaster sounded his whistle to signal the end of the first half, many felt Wismar/Christianburg, who were heavily favoured to take this year’s championship honours, breathed a sigh of relief.
Judging from their performance in the second half that would have been the scenario as they carried the attack to the champions of Region 8, with David, Davidson and at times Mario Batson, making several raids on their opponents’ goal area.
Nigel Caesar made good on his lone chance that was presented to him, beating Paramakatoi’s Chavis King from a goal mouth scrimmage within the first minute of the second half to hand Wismar/Christianburg the lead.
Five minutes after and the Lindeners got two more goals, only to see the second assistant’s flag up in the air, indicating to Lancaster that the player was in an offside position on both occasions, much to the ire of the visiting team.
Davidson got his first of two goals in the 58th minute from another goal-mouth scrimmage, as Paramakatoi’s defensive lineup, which included Ezra Anicetus, Kepson Edmond, Clinton Pereira and Mauricio Gomes, failed in their attempt to clear the ball.
With his team down 2-0 and being presented with an open goal after English was drawn out by Wilson, Robert Peters committed the cardinal sin when he placed the ball approximately 14 inches away from the open goal area, missing a clear and unforced chance to reduce his team’s deficit.
Buoyed by the life, Davidson beat King with a low shot on his near post in the 76th minute and when Batson added his name to the scorer’s list six minutes later, no one could have counted the numerous back flips that came from the Linden team who were leading 4-0.
Try as they may, Paramakatoi found it difficult to penetrate English, as the Wismar/Christianburg defensive line that was led by their skipper Travin Dryden who received worthy support from Leon Hohenkirk, Benny Neblett and Jamal Almond, stood firm.
With the win, Wismar/Christianburg will now oppose Charity Secondary at the Wisburg ground in a quarterfinal matchup tomorrow, which will also see Tutorial Academy take on Waramadong at Skeldon, Bygeval Secondary oppose Leonora Secondary at the Beterverwagting ground, while Lodge Secondary School will go up against St Ignatius Secondary at Carifesta Sports Complex ground.