Digicel Nationwide Schools Football Competition...Charity, 8th of May battle for Region Two title

Digicel Nationwide Schools Football Competition…Charity, 8th of May battle for Region Two title

Jul 04, 2015 Sports

Samson Culpepper tries in vain to penetrate a solid NOC defense.

Charity whip NOC in second semi final

By Sean Devers in E’bo

Defending Region Two Champions Charity Secondary School advanced to their fifth Zone Final in the five-year history of the Digicel National Schools Football Competition when they beat the New Opportunity Corps (NOC) 2-nil on Thursday in the second semi-final of the tournament played at the NOC ground on the Essequibo Coast. Samson Cullepper and Deondne Thomas netted for the winners.
Played under a clear blue sky in brilliant sunshine NOC opted to place emphasis on defence which worked against them on the heavy and muddy ground as Charity, who have four Region Two titles, attacked relentlessly for most of the contest before in dawned on NOC in the last 15 minutes of a keenly fought game that not only preventing the opposition from scoring but getting goals of their own would win matches.
Urged on by a raucous support group of mainly female NOC students, the home team spent most of the match in its own half although their defensive unit held its own and prevented Charity from scoring more goals.
But when the final whistle was blown, the School from the last Village on the Essequibo Coast had qualified to meet Eight of May Secondary from Dartmouth in this year’s Zone Final, set for the NOC ground on CARICOM day (July 6) from 14:00hrs.
NOC were handicapped before a ball was kicked by the unavailability of Mark Lawrence who was hospitalized after hitting his head in Tuesday’s game and was only discharged on Thursday. The youngster turned up at the venue with the hope of playing but was advised not to do so.
Both teams began cautiously on a ground which took a battering from torrential rain all week and remained soft and soggy which again affected passing and ball control, but Charity looked the fitter team and coped better on the muddy surface, especially around the 18 yard box where the ball came to a virtual stop after being kicked.
Arial Chester got off a powerful shot in the 10th minute but the ball bounced off the cross bar to deny Charity their first goal. NOC went on the defensive and for long periods the Charity Keeper Leeland Smith, who was selected in the National squad for the CONCACAF U-17 Championships in the Dominican Republic last year but was forced to withdraw because of injury, had little to do. Charity enjoyed the bulk of ball possession but could not finish due to the good work of the defenders and when a Charity player failed to clear a corner, the loose ball was kicked without much energy and Charity goalie Shquel Cummins was able to make the save.
Barry Fraser beat Cummins in the 15th minute but NOC were again denied by the off-side call before Stephon Apple, one of the more skillful players in the NOC unit, broke away with a solo run in the 36th minute and with only the Keeper to beat, the slushy area near the goal mouth caused the ball to ‘hold up’ and trickle to Smith, who made the save.
Shamar Davis was guilty of trying to dribble the field on his own on the soggy ground without seeking assistance by passing the ball to his NOC teammates and on more than one occasion was dispossessed before he could line up a shot.
Cummins continued to enjoy a great first half between the uprights and at the break neither team were able to get on the score sheet.
In the second stanza, Charity continued to attack as the heavy ground started to take toll on tired legs but Culpepper found the back of the net in the 65th minute and Charity had the lead.
The goal seemed to rejuvenate the North Essequibo side and Charity launched a consorted attack on NOC’s goal resulting in Thomas hammering a Penalty to make it 2-nil as Charity looked the more organized of the two teams.
No more goals were scored and Charity Secondary were on their way to the most zone finals by any other team in the competition.