…..Christianburg beaten in clash of Multilaterals

The GOLDEN GROVE Secondary School have taken over the lead at the completion of the third round of matches in the PETRA-GUYOIL-Tradewind Tankers under 18 schools football League being played at the Ministry of Education ground, Carifesta Avenue.

Last Saturday’s fixtures in the one round 8-team competition resulted in a comfortable 3-1 win for Golden Grove over West Ruimveldt, while President’s College came from a 2- goal deficit to eke out a 3-2 win against bottom placed team, Friendship Secondary, and in the battle of the Multilaterals, North Ruimveldt prevailed 1-0 versus Christianburg. The other encounter produced a 1-1 stalemate between Dolphin and Cummings Lodge.

Goals by Kelon Croal (4th), Nathan Shaw (53rd) and Kelvin Richardson (70th) propelled the East Coast Demerara boys to their second win and they maintained their unbeaten run, while it was the second loss for West Ruimveldt whose consolation strike came from Donovan Welcome in the 40th minute as they remain second from the bottom.

Neighbours, President’s College, in a much tougher game also sustained their unbeaten run to move to 7 points and a +2 goal difference, but Golden Grove’s superior +5 separates them at the top of the table.

Two quick goals within 5 minutes by Kevon Williams (30th) and Rayon Emmanuel (35th) piloted Friendship ahead after 35 minutes.

Ronoko Vaughn erased the lead with a brace (37th and 67th) before William Sabastian netted the winner in the 70th minute to ensure Friendship continue to prop up the table with three defeats from as many outings.

Coach Wilton Cameron, commenting on his team’s performance shared, “At President’s College we take sports very serious. While we may not be known to be a ‘football school’ we take pride in balancing our students’ academics with athletics. So whatever the competition may be we always let them know we expect them to come out and give of their very best and this is what they have been doing. It is the culture of the school to always give of your best”.

In a much-anticipated clash, a solitary Jevon Pluck’s conversion (62nd)proved decisive in the first loss for perennial school champions, Christianburg, who dropped to 3rd position on 6 points. It was the first win for North Ruimveldt who now occupy 5th place on 4 points.

‘We knew we had to bring our ‘A’ game since we did not want Christianburg to go 2 -0 on us as we would have lost to them in the Milo final …it was by the slimest of margins, but a win is a win’, an elated coach Leon Vyfhius told Chronicle Sport.

His opposite, Delon Peters, stated that ‘I believe in every tournament a team is entitled to have a bad game and today was just our turn for that. This loss will not affect our chances going forward. We are not here just to participate since everytime we enter a tournament we enter with the expectation of coming out on top’.

The other team yet to lose is Cummings Lodge who were held to their second draw by Dolphin in a fiercely contested affair. Dolphin, in search of their first 3 points, took the lead in the 8th minute through Jequan Cole who became the third player to be ejected for the side.

Reaquan Corbin was the first to be sent off in the 28th minute, followed by Jude Charles in the 60th. With the numerical advantage, Cummings Lodge got the equaliser, thanks to Elijah Mendonca (68th), to share the points and hold 4th position on 5 points.

The tournament continues next Sunday with the 4th round of matches.