Branford slams home helmet-trick for Charlestown
… Wins for North Ruimveldt, Freeburg and Cummings Lodge

CHARLESTOWN Secondary School warmed up for their defence of the Scotiabank/Pepsi Football Academy title defence, by inflicting a 6-1 drubbing on New Campbellville Secondary, when the two sides met in this year’s Milo/Petra Organisation Under-20 tournament at the Ministry of Education ground last Sunday.They were indebted mainly to Aroydy Branford’s helmet-trick that was backed by a double from Omari James, as North Ruimveldt Multilateral, Freeburg Secondary and Cummings Lodge emulated Charlestown, with wins of their own over Christ Church, North Georgetown and Tucville.
James opened the scoring for the victorious Charlestown lineup in the 28th minute, before Branford added the first of his four goals two minutes later and got his second nine minutes after his first to give his team a 3-0 lead.
Branford completed his helmet-trick with two more goals in the 48th and 66th minutes of play, and then watched as James completed his brace in the 68th minute, even as Eukini McPherson ensured Charlestown’s defence was breached, with his 70th minute goal for New Campbellville.
In the first match of the day which was contested in sweltering heat throughout, Cummings Lodge fought tooth and nail with a game Christ Church, edging their opponents 4-3 thanks to Jerome Jarvis’ brace, in the face of a Jovanty Best double for the losers.
Elijah Grant started things for Cummings Lodge, finding the back of the net in the 18th minute, following which Sylvester Robertson made it a two-game possession for Cummings Lodge, with his 26th minute goal.
Not to be outdone, Kadeem Blackman reduced Christ Church’s deficit, when he pulled one back in the 34th minute, before Best snared the equaliser for them, scoring the first of his two goals in the 46th minute.
Like Best, Jarvis got his first in the 57th minute to send Cummings Lodge back into the lead but it was short-lived as Best nullified things with his second goal, two minutes after Jarvis got his first, but being the more penetrative side, it was Cummings Lodge who came away with the win, when Jarvis sent them into the lead with the final goal of the contest in the 62th minute.
Joshua Ferreira scored first for North Georgetown in their matchup with Freeburg Secondary, finding the back of the net in the 25th minute, before Renell Roberts (47th) and Junor Simon (52nd), handed Freeburg the win, as Shemar McPherson (30th), Carl Griffith (45th and Jeremy Garrett 63rd were on target for North Ruimveldt Multilateral, in their 3-0 win over Tucville Secondary.
The action will continue this weekend, with more preliminary round matches, while next weekend at the same venue, football fans will see the commencement of the knock-out round.

(Calvin Roberts)