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The Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Disciplinary Committee dropped the hammer today on two students from Presentation College (San Fernando) and Carapichaima East Secondary, as the quartet were given increased suspensions for their behaviour in last weekend’s SSFL Premier Division clash.
Presentation won the contest 2-1 but both teams had two players sent off in the affair.
(Courtesy Chevaughn Christopher/Wired868)
“Pres Lions” forward Omri Baird, who was the second-highest scorer in the competition at that point, and central defender Shirwin Noel were both ejected along with talented “Caps” attacker Theophilus Bourne and stopper Brandon St Clair after a mid-game flare-up between the two teams.
Presentation argued that Baird’s red card was unfair in the first place and tried, unsuccessfully, to have the player available for Wednesday’s derby with Naparima College. Baird, they claimed was only trying to defend himself while being attacked.
Not only did the SSFL Disciplinary Committee rule that Baird was correctly sent off but the attacker had his initial punishment doubled, as he will now serve out a two-match suspension.
Noel and Bourne also had their automatic one match suspensions stretched to two games.
It means that Presentation, who lost 2-1 to Naparima yesterday, must do without Baird and Noel on Saturday too when they play away to Fyzabad Secondary.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/CA-images/Wired868)
However, St Clair, who threw a punch in the fracas, saw his own punishment climb to four matches.
Bourne and St Clair must now look on from the sidelines as Carapichaima East host St Benedict’s College on Saturday while St Clair will also miss subsequent outings against Signal Hill Secondary and San Juan North Secondary.
St Clair will not be available to represent his school again until Wednesday 11 October when Caps play away to Naparima College.
Both schools have three days to lodge an appeal, which must be accompanied by a TT$1,000 fee.
At present, Carapichaima are eighth in the 16-team standings after climbing two places with a 3-1 mid-week win away to St Mary’s College on Serpentine Road in St Clair.
Presentation skipped one place to the top of the standings on Tuesday after a successful protest by Naparima against Shiva Boys Hindu College. However, they dropped back to second after Wednesday’s loss to their arch-rivals.
Only goal difference separates the top three SSFL teams at the moment with Shiva Boys, Presentation and Naparima occupying the top places while Fatima College is one point adrift in fourth position.
(Courtesy Chevaughn Christopher/Wired868)
Upcoming fixtures
(Saturday 30 September)
QRC v St Anthony’s College, 3.40pm, QRC;
Fatima College v Shiva Boys HC, 3.40pm, Fatima;
Carapichaima East v St Benedict’s College, 3.40pm, Carapichaima;
Trinity Moka v Trinity East, 3.40pm, Moka;
Naparima College v St Mary’s College, 3.40pm, Lewis Street;
Fyzabad Secondary v Presentation College, 3.40pm, Fyzabad;
St Augustine Secondary v Speyside High, 3.40pm, St Augustine;
Signal Hill v San Juan North, 3.40pm, Signal Hill.
(Courtesy Chevaughn Christopher/Wired868)
SSFL Standings
(Played-Won-Drew-Lost-Goals For-Goals Against-Points)
- Shiva Boys HC 6-4-1-1-14-4–13
- Presentation 6-4-1-1-14-6-13
- Naparima 6-4-1-1-13-7-13
- Fatima 6-4-0-2-6-4–12
- St Anthony’s 5-3-1-1-16-6-10
- Trinity East 6-3-1-2-11-6-10
- St Augustine 5-3-1-1-11-7-10
- Carapichaima E 6-3-1-2-10-8-10
- Fyzabad Sec 5-3-0-2-7-7-9
- San Juan N 6-1-5-0-13-6-8
- St Mary’s 5-1-2-2-9-13-5
- Signal Hill 6-1-1-4-5-10-4
- QRC 6-1-1-4-5-13-4
- Trinity Moka 6-1-0-5-4-17-3
- Speyside High 6-1-0-5-3–19–3
- St Benedict’s 6-0-2-4-6-14-2
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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.
Well done , we stop the indiscipline at these games as this is just an extension of what goes on at the schools.
Well done. Discipline.
Deal with thuggery early.
If there is poor discipline at this age group
What will happen in the future
There should be no sparing the rod and spoiling the child
Bench them and let them reflect while they sit on the sidelines
Do not compromise discipline.
Dear Mr. Lee. Do you understand the behaviour of the players/students? Think national football!
I understand the straight red cards and the review for further suspension . But one of the PRES players was issued a second yellow resulting in the red, why then is he being further punished with an extra game suspension. This doesn’t make sense and shows how incompetent and oblivious the Ssfl is.
They need to be changed and new management put in place for the betterment of the league.