SSFL 24: Presentation whip Malick to stay on Benedict’s tail; Fatima slip up

Presentation College San Fernando jumped one spot to second in the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Premier Division today after a comfortable 3-1 victory over Malick Secondary at the St Mary’s Ground on Serpentine Road, St Clair.

Two first-half goals from Isaiah Jacob and Caleb Boyce set the tone for the “Pres Lions”, who made the most of their trip to north Trinidad by skipping ahead of Fatima College in the Premier Division standings.

Fatima, the defending champions, had to come from behind to tie Speyside High 2-2 at home on Mucurapo Road. The draw saw the west Port of Spain school inch forward to 20 points, overtaken by Presentation on 22 points.

But there was no catching St Benedict’s College, who downed East Mucurapo Secondary 2-0 at QRC grounds in St Clair. Both goals came from ace attacker Derrel “Zoom Zoom” Garcia, who has scored in all four games since he returned to school, taking his tally to six items.

The “La Romaine Lions” (28 points) remain six points ahead of Presentation, and now eight points clear of the 2023 Premier Division winners, Fatima.

Elsewhere, fourth-placed Arima North Secondary (18 points) registered their sixth draw of the season—twice as many as any other school—with a 1-1 tie away to 13th-placed Trinity College East (7 points).

Arima North Secondary forward Zion Metivier finishes off a nice team move to temporarily put the Dial Dynamos ahead in SSFL Premier Division action against Trinity College East in Trincity on 12 October 2024.

St Anthony’s College, in fifth place with 18 points and sixth-placed Naparima College (15 points) stayed in the conversation by defeating Queen’s Royal College (13 points) and St Mary’s College (10 points), respectively.

Presentation and St Anthony’s both have a game in hand, while Naparima have two rescheduled matches outstanding. Only Presentation, who are yet to face St Benedict’s this season, have a realistic chance of catching the runaway leaders though.

At Serpentine Road today, the Pres Lions did their bit to stay within striking distance.

St Augustine Secondary midfielder Abraham Kirk scores with a rocket against San Juan North Secondary on Warren Street, St Augustine during SSFL Premier Division action on 12 October 2024.

Jacob opened the scoring in the 42nd minute, with a delicate lob over opposing goalkeeper Mandell Huskerson after sustained pressure in the Malick penalty box.

A ball from the right by full-back Micah Brathwaite was not cleared by Malick’s defenders, and Jacob took advantage with a left-footed effort, past Huskerson’s outstretched right hand.

Striker Lyndell George was Malick’s main offensive weapon, and he had a chance to level the scores when he wrong-footed defender Jimally Renne. However, George’s left-footed shot was saved by Presentation’s goalie Marcelo Phillip, the son of former Trinidad and Tobago custodian Marvin Phillip.

That miss proved costly for Malick as Boyce doubled Presentation’s lead in first-half stoppage time with a close-range finish into an empty net—after Huskerson parried a shot from Presentation left back, Duhrell Young.

The Lions’ appeared to put the game beyond Malick’s reach in the 54th minute, after attacking midfielder Josiah Bain headed home from a Vaughn Clement in-swinging corner kick.

But Malick at least spoiled Presentation’s clean sheet in the dying seconds of the match, as captain and utility player Jordan Ferdinand turned past a couple of defenders before shooting to the right of Phillip.

It was not enough to stop Presentation from moving on with all three points, though.

“Malick were always in the game,” Presentation coach Shawn Cooper told Wired868. “I think we were a little more organised. We took the chances that we created. [Our] preparation really won us the game today.”

Cooper stated that, during the halftime interval, his players were urged to seek a third goal to give his team a wider advantage.

“We play the game in halves,” said the Presentation tactician. “We try to win the first half, and then the second half. You saw the impetus. We tried to go forward, put them under pressure because they are on their home turf and, at some point in time, they would have their moment in the game.

“They were in-and-about but they really [weren’t] giving [Phillip] any pressure. We were defensively structured properly.”

Cooper attributed Malick’s late goal to a lack of concentration by his players.

“[Ferdinand was] allowed to take down a ball in the middle, turn and shoot,” he said. “I will deal with that the next day we have training.”

Akel Baig deputised as Malick head coach in the absence of the ailing Anthony Bartholomew. And Baig also had to deal with an illness bug affecting his squad, which meant only four substitutes were on the bench against Presentation.

“We had a huge challenge today because at least five players were sick,” said Baig. “Even the players who played today, some of them had the flu. It didn’t work well with our plans, but we had to make the necessary adjustments.”

On the match itself, Baig commented: “We started a little slow. The physicality [from] Presentation was a little strong for [us]. In the second half, we played better but we only got one goal.”

Baig said the timing of the goals was a decisive factor in the encounter.

“We were really trying to secure the first half and, in the second half, try to push at them,” said Baig. “We were trying to play conservative, wait for that moment to create that opportunity to try to win the game. It worked against us with the two goals late in the first half.”

However, he hopes to build on their improved performance in the second half.

“It showed a good work ethic, good strength in the players mentally, to fight right till the end,” said Baig. “That’s a plus for us. We just have to build on it.”

Teams

Malick Secondary (4-3-3): 31.Mandell Huskerson (GK); 4.Hackeem Bartholomew (17.Omilio Millard 84), 6.Daquon Thomas, 11.Jordan Ferdinand (captain), 18.Keston Singh; 3.Malique Mars (21.Jeremiah Gabriel 33), 13.Jaquan Phillips (12.Antonio Sealey 70), 8.Josante Duncan; 7.Ronaldinho Richards, 19.Lyndell George (23.Imanuel Moore 90), 20.Tyrese Manswell.

Acting coach: Akel Baig

Presentation College (San Fernando) (4-5-1): 1.Marcelo Phillip (GK); 2.Micah Brathwaite, 21.Jimally Renne, 5.Cody Cooper (captain), 12.Duhrell Young; 15.Nkosi Foncette, 7.Vaughn Clement (11.Roshaun Doobay 63), 6.Levi Jones, 16.Josiah Bain, 10.Isaiah Jacob; 9.Caleb Boyce (17.Joshua Bernard 90).

Unused substitutes: 28.Renaldo Lee (GK), 3.Terrance Worrell, 13.Josiah Simmons, 14.Maliq Brathwaite, 18.Quincy Thomas, 19.McKale Thomas, 23.Amahl Ali, 25. Raul Perreira.

Coach: Shawn Cooper

Referee: Garfield Weekes

Premier Division results

(Sat 12 Oct)

Malick Secondary 1 (Jordan Ferdinand 90), Presentation (San F’do) 3 (Isaiah Jacob 42, Caleb Boyce 45, Josiah Bain 54) at Serpentine Road;

Trinity College East 1 (Khaleem Prince 62), Arima North Secondary 1 (Zion Metivier 41) at Trincity;

East Mucurapo Secondary 0, St Benedict’s College 2 (Derrel Garcia [2]) at QRC grounds;

Fatima College 2 (Caden Trestrail, Micaiah Leach), Speyside High 2 (Micha Walton, Riquelme Phillips) at Mucurapo Road;

Miracle Ministries PHS 1 (Kyle Holder), Signal Hill Secondary 1 (Raevion Marshall 90) at Edinburgh 500;

Naparima College 2 (Israel Joseph 22, Jabari Rodriguez 36), St Mary’s College 0 at Lewis Street;

St Anthony’s College 4 (Mordecai Ford 3, 60, Andell Fraser 54, 84), Queen’s Royal College 1 (Stephon James 11) at Westmoorings;

St Augustine Secondary 1 (Abraham Kirk), San Juan North 1 (Jaheem Danclar) at Warren Street.

Rescheduled match

(Mon 14 Oct)

Malick Secondary v Naparima College, 3.30pm, Serpentine Road.

Upcoming fixtures

(Wed 16 Oct)

Fatima College v Trinity College East, 3.30pm, Mucurapo Road;

St Mary’s College v San Juan North, 3.30pm, Serpentine Road;

St Benedict’s College v St Augustine Secondary, 3.30pm, Mahaica Sporting Complex;

St Anthony’s College v Presentation (San F’do), 3.30pm, Westmoorings;

Naparima College v Queen’s Royal College, 3.30pm, Lewis Street;

East Mucurapo Secondary v Malick Secondary, 3.30pm, TBA;

Speyside High v Miracle Ministries PHS, 3.30pm, Speyside.