Latest update February 5th, 2025 6:40 AM
Digicel Schools Football Championship…St. George’s survive late rally from East Ruimveldt
East Ruimveldt’s Romel Legall second half treble failed to deny St. George’s Secondary from marching into the final of the Georgetown Zone after they secured a hard fought 4-3 win yesterday in the 2013 Digicel Schools Football Championship, at the Ministry of Education ground.
Action in the clash between St. George’s and East Ruimveldt yesterday at the Ministry of Education ground.
An Azuma Small brace that was netted in the 23rd and 70th minutes of play, coupled with goals from Robby McClaggon (14th) and Okeri Codrington’s 43rd was all St George’s needed to claim the win, despite Legall’s heroic efforts, which saw him hitting the back of the net in the 42nd, 46th and 52nd minutes of play respectively.
East Ruimveldt had the opportunity to score the first goal of the contest, when they were awarded an indirect free kick after St. George’s custodian Royston Dublin was whistled for a handled ball just outside the box, but Adafa Campbell sent the ensuing shot high over the four man wall and cross bar.
At the other end of the field, St George’s, who commenced this tournament as the Petra/Milo Schools Football Under-20 champions, should have gone ahead but both Azuma and Ozeal Small sent their shots wide, with East Ruimveldt’s custodian Troy Carrington a beaten man on the first post.
It took the solo efforts of McClaggon, who latched onto a loose ball following a weak goal kick from Carrington, to give St George’s the opening goal in the 14th minute.
Nine (9) minutes later and Azuma Small made it a two goal possession for St. George’s after he flew the offside trap, went around Carrington and guided the ball into the back of the net, to spark off celebrations amongst his teammates.
All the time, Legall’s efforts to find the opening goal for his team was thwarted by the stout defensive work from Quincy Lawrence, who dispossessed him of the ball on several occasions, with the greatest of ease, as Legall failed to find any support from his teammates in the striker’s position.
Whether it was the lack of water or coach Gilbert Sampson’s words of inspiration at halftime, nobody knows but a regrouped East Ruimveldt lineup took the field in an aggressive mode, running down every loose ball.
It was clear to all who witnessed the encounter that East Ruimveldt was not going to give up easily and when Legall scored the first of his hat-trick in the 42nd minute, followed by his second goal four minutes later, St. George’s work was cut out for them, even though Codrington scored after Legall got his first goal, to give St. George’s a
St. George’s goalscorers (from left) Akeri Codrington, Azuma Small and Robby McClaggon pose for a Kaieteur Sport photo yesterday.
two goal cushion.
Not to be outdone, a rejuvenated Legall rose above the defence and headed home the equalizer from a well directed corner kick from one of his teammates in the 52nd minute, a goal that not only give him his hat-trick, but brought back some fight for his team.
Both teams enjoyed a battle for supremacy especially in the midfield area, wherein St. George’s held the upper hand with great ball control, but found it hard to snare the go ahead goal, as Carrington proved to be a worthy customer in between the uprights for East Ruimveldt.
At the other end of the field, St. George’s, who had switched Dublin for Orin Moore at the start of the second half, an act they committed against Kingston High in their previous encounter saw Moore pulled off a brilliant save on the first post to deny Legal, who had eluded Lawrence.
When the diminutive Codrington was brought down in the box and the referee pointed to the spot in the 70th minute, Azuma Small made amends for his earlier mistakes by calmly placing the ball past Carrington to hand St. George’s the go ahead goal and what turned out to be winning one as well.
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