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Well, it took us long enough… The Wired868 XI finally won its own football festival—at the fifth time of asking—as MVP Marvin Oliver and sizzling Ryan “Fry” Stewart led their all-star team to a 4-1 win over the Darin Lewis Invitational XI at the UWI admin ground in St Augustine yesterday evening.
Both teams played to a draw in the first edition of the annual football gala in 2013 but Wired868 was on the losing side for the next three years.
(Courtesy Sean Morrison/Wired868)
Not this year, fellahs!
The Invitational XI drew first blood through former 2006 World Cup midfielder Densill Theobald. And, for the first 30 minutes, it looked as though Wired868 would have to buy their own ball to get a touch.
(Courtesy Sean Morrison/Wired868)
Theobald and former national midfield trio of Kerwin “Hardest” Jemmott, Travis Mulraine and 1991 World Youth Cup playmaker Anthony Sherwood were keeping the ball for fun.
If not for some good glove work from Strike Squad goalkeeper Michael “Brow” Maurice to keep out Gary Glasgow—he’s still got it!—Wired868 would have been in deeper trouble.
(Courtesy Sean Morrison/Wired868)
But we weren’t taking that jes so!
With former Strike Squad stand-out Hutson “Barber” Charles acting as player/coach, the host team levelled through ex-Soca Warriors striker and Defence Force and Pro League record goal scorer Devorn Jorsling—yeah, we took a borrow.
And ex-Morvant Caledonia United winger Abdallah Phillip equalised with a scorcher!
(Courtesy Sean Morrison/Wired868)
There was only going to be one winner after that.
Former Warriors utility player and Scotland Premier League player Anthony Rougier added some steel to the midfield to make things difficult for the boys in red, who had introduced player/coach and ex-MLS attacker and national youth player Darin “Speng” Lewis and former T&T and Pro League star Arnold Dwarika to the action by then.
Stewart, a National Super League (NSL) legend with his former club Guaya United, and Oliver, a national youth team stand-out and Pro League champion with San Juan Jabloteh and Central FC, were humming by then and it was almost a coin toss to see which player would seal the affair and take the honours.
(Courtesy Sean Morrison/Wired868)
Stewart got Wired868’s third goal from the penalty spot—although World Cup 2006 goalkeeper Clayton Ince had the audacity to put a hand on it… Before Oliver capped off the proceedings with a brilliant left-footed volley off a Stewart cross!
Oliver was named Wired868 Football Festival MVP and got a Bmobile gift bag, complete with the latest Samsung Galaxy phone.
Bmobile sponsored the MVP prize.
(Courtesy Sean Morrison/Wired868)
And Jemmott won the “Spirit of Wired868” hamper for his deft touches—which belied his new portly size!—that had the crowd swooning and reminiscing.
Thanks to BP, Carib, Bmobile, UWI SPEC and our service providers for helping us pull off our fifth Football Festival. And to Tyrone Marcus, Terry Fenwick and Dennis Taye Allen for the sterling commentary—Fenwick said it was a swollen ankle and not age that kept him off the field this year!
Spirit of Wired868 winner Kerwin “Hardest” Jemmott (right) shares his views on the event with host Tyrone Marcus after the Wired868 Football Festival V at UWI admin ground on 7 January 2017.
(Courtesy Sean Morrison/Wired868)
And, most of all, thanks to the players and fans for coming out and having some fun with us.
See you next year!
Darin Lewis Invitational XI: Darin Lewis (captain), Clayton Ince, Fuad Abu Bakr, Hisham Gomes, Raefer Ross, Jason Louis Julien, Akil Harley, Ancil Elcock, Dion Sosa, Kerwin Jemmott, Kevin Eiffel, Arnold Dwarika, Anthony Sherwood, Densill Theobald, Travis Mulraine, Marc Borde, Gary Glasgow.
Missing from the photo is Arnold Dwarika.
(Courtesy Sean Morrison/Wired868)
Wired868 XI: Hutson Charles (captain), Jefferson George, Michael Maurice, Joshua Marshall, Roger Henry, Marvin Faustin, Gregory Seale, Tyrone Marcus, Marvin Oliver, Kevin Moze, Caleb De Souza, Chris Durity, Anthony Rougier, Ahkeela Mollon, Ryan Stewart, Abdallah Phillip, Devorn Jorsling, Aydan Williams.
Editor’s Note: Check Wired868’s official Facebook page for more photographs from the Football Festival V… But here are a few snaps!
Cortlyn Smith (centre) leaves her daughter to have fun in the bouncy castle and heads to take in the fun at the Wired868 Football Festival V at UWI admin ground on 7 January 2017.
(Courtesy Sean Morrison/Wired868)
La Horquetta SA footballer Aydan Williams (left) poses with former St Mary’s College midfielder Caleb De Souza at the Wired868 Football Festival V at UWI admin ground on 7 January 2017.
Williams left for London yesterday where he is already registered to represent Ilford FC, which is a Chelsea FC feeder team, after impressing on trial at the England Premier League club.
(Courtesy Sean Morrison/Wired868)
Former Trinidad and Tobago striker Devorn Jorsling (right) greets Strike Squad star Marvin “Marvellous” Faustin before kick off at the Wired868 Football Festival V at UWI admin ground on 7 January 2017.
(Courtesy Sean Morrison/Wired868)
(Courtesy Sean Morrison/Wired868)
(Courtesy Sean Morrison/Wired868)
(Courtesy Sean Morrison/Wired868)
(Courtesy Sean Morrison/Wired868)
A young patron wants to be the next Tiger Woods not Dwight Yorke at the Wired868 Football Festival V at UWI admin ground on 7 January 2017.
(Courtesy Sean Morrison/Wired868)
Former Trinidad and Tobago international footballer and legendary SSFL coach Michael Grayson (centre) greets Wired868 managing director Lasana Liburd while former national youth team goalkeeper and Presentation College (San Fernando) goalkeeper coach Jefferson George (right) and ex-Soca Warriors team manager William Wallace look on at the Wired868 Football Festival V at UWI admin ground on 7 January 2017.
(Courtesy Sean Morrison/Wired868)
(Courtesy Sean Morrison/Wired868)
(Courtesy Sean Morrison/Wired868)
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Lasana Liburd is the managing director and chief editor at Wired868.com and a journalist with over 20 years experience at several Trinidad and Tobago and international publications including Play the Game, World Soccer, UK Guardian and the Trinidad Express.
Nah Kirwin no pipers
?
I find Wired could invite Saintfiet to sweat 🙂
https://www.facebook.com/pg/Wired868/photos/?tab=album&album_id=1193942730661677
Mr Norris Ferguson you are spot on. Hahahahahahahahahaha.
You often hear supporters say that the game had them off the seats, but in this match the supporters were off their seats rendering some assistance to those tired muscles.
Lasana Liburd…. yes you and your team are champs for the next 12 months. Congratulations but I honestly think that you and your team will be like Leicester City. It makes for a feel good story only to come crashing back down to earth when my team and I take back the bragging rights. Lol.
Lol
Hahaha, amazing, one of Lasana’s conditions for coming was to have a drink lol
Wired868 actually won the game when I decided to bench Kerwin Jemmott because I was “smelling alcohol around him” and Also took off Anthony Sherwood because he “was late coming off the pitch”. Arnold Dwarika said “he wasn’t available to play and then last minute he said he would play”, so I benched him. Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha. Terence William Fenwick that is why Lasana Liburd actually won on Saturday. Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha.
Lol omg lol lol
Darin had some top players turn out, Anthony Sherwood, Hardest, Gary Glasgow, corkey, Denzil and Arnold Dwarica.
Top class players, where is T&T football going wrong with such talent coming through the ranks???
Lasana sorry I could not make it. but just so you know my boots still fit.
High press, drop to kill the space, show them inside or out, passing game or long ball, you lost me with your detailed breakdown of how Wired868 would play second half.
I suggest you ask Tom if he would like a run out with Wired868, practice game, prior to the WCQ (HEX) coming up in March, if he’s here?
Ha ha ha ha you want to Keel me laughing ???
Sound suggestion …just ask very nicely ….. he seems an extremely emotional lad lol
Lasana Liburd, maybe you should take up Professional Football full time, as this is the only success story in T&T football at the moment. What advice could you offer to an aspiring coach like myself?
Hahaha
The commentators were entertaining as well
Nice to see you out Kerwin Jemmott. We are the champs for the next 12 months eh Darin Lewis! Lol…