Latest update December 23rd, 2024 3:40 AM
Digicel Nationwide Schools Football competition…Uitvlugt take Region Three title with 5-0 win
Set to face 3-times National defending Champions in Linden
By Sean Devers
Urged on by a large and vocal crowd of mostly Uitvlugt supporters at the Leonora ground in West Coast Demerara yesterday, Uitvlugt Secondary won their first ever Region Three title in the five-year history of the Digicel National Schools Football Competition and will now face-off with three times National defending Champs Wismar/Christianburg Secondary in Linden on July 12.
Region Three Champions Uitvlugt celebrate their win.
Their emphatic 5-nil victory against Stewartville Secondary was set up by second half goals from Daniel Floy and Keon Duke who both registered a brace each and Jamaine Jacobs who scored the opening goal.
Uitvlugt were made to work hard for success in the first half due mainly some superb goalkeeping by Kevon Lewis who made several magnificent saves as Uitvlugt, who looked the more skillful and organised unit and passed the ball with excellent precision under sunny skies, could not find a goal in the first half which ended nil-all.
Stewartville, in the second Zone final after winning the Region Three crown in the inaugural tournament before Leonora Secondary took the title for the last three years, found the clinical ‘one touch’ short passing employed by Uitvlugt disconcerting.
Jacobs made the first shot on goal but it was wide of the mark but both teams played with a solid defence in the first half, especially Uitvlugt, who were led by National under-17 defender Shamol Smith as they had more of the ball possession.
David Black found an opening but his powerful shot from just outside the 18 yard Box crashed into the cross bar and Emmanuel Cox latched onto the rebound but Lewis’ brilliant save prevented Uitvlugt from taking the lead.
A few minutes later Jacobs’ shot was well saved by Lewis, diving full length to his left as the Stewartville Custodian looked like a wall as he effectively defended his goal and although Uitvlugt dominated the first half it ended scoreless.
The second stanza began in overcast conditions and Jacobs finally got past Lewis in the 51st minute when he danced past the backline and drilled in a bullet like shot to make it 1-nil.
In the 62nd minute, Floy set up Uitvlugt’s second goal when, with plenty of flair he dribbled two defenders inside the box and passed it ‘bang on target’ to Duke who blasted the ball into the back of the net.
David Blake cut his eye when heads clashed as he attempted a header and had to be taken to the Leonora Cottage Hospital for treatment but the game continued and Lewis stepped outside of the box to an advancing striker and caught the ball when he should have kicked it once he was outside of the box. This resulted in the goalie getting a yellow card and a free kick from 20 yards being awarded. The kick was taken by Floy in the 78th minute and he buried it past a frustrated looking Lewis who seemed to buckle under the pressure.
Duke soon made it 4-0 in the 79th minute and the confidence of the Uitvlugt players were sky high, bordering on complacency as the body language of the Stewartville side suggested they had given up even before the final whistle was blown.
A late flurry by Stewartville was thwarted by the Uitvlugt Keeper who had little to do in the game but it was Floy who compounded Stewartville’s misery in the final minute, scoring the fifth goal.
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