SSFL 25: Herbert, Hackeemar shine, as Five Rivers turn away stubborn San Juan North

Five Rivers Secondary extended their lead in the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) East Zone Championship with a 3-0 statement win against their nearest challengers, San Juan North Secondary, in an entertaining top-of-the-table clash at West El Dorado Secondary School.

The match was keenly contested with a combination of crunching tackles and fleet-footed skills to entertain the small crowd.

Both teams set the tone early for how they wanted to play. Five Rivers aimed to use the athleticism and skill of their attacking players to create chances, while San Juan North sought to use more deliberate build-up play to get into promising areas of the field.

Five Rivers settled into their style quicker and needed only four minutes for captain Shaquilla Daniel to play a long through-ball down the centre of the field for striker Hackeemar Goodridge, who run onto the ball and slotted clinically past San Juan North goalkeeper Myeisha Cox.

If San Juan North were worried by the early goal, they hid it well. Instead, they continued to pass the ball around, with a focus on their left wing—where left back Brianna Fraser combined frequently with winger Chelsea Sealey.

Five Rivers created the next opening as well though, when skilful left winger Jadya Herbert dribbled three San Juan defenders—including opposing captain Kimora Mitchell—before leaving the ball for midfielder Tashana Hackett, who blazed her shot over the crossbar.

Five Rivers, the defending zonal champions, continued to force turnovers off the San Juan build-up and started to dominate the game.

They were rewarded for their pressure in the 11^th minute when Cox missed a left side Herbert corner and speedy winger Ameeda Bowman headed into the unguarded goal to extend Five Rivers’ lead.

San Juan continued to pass the ball around without advancing past the midfield, but their defence held up well against the zonal champions. Central defender Taya Williams, in particular, looked assured in possession and committed to their build-up tactics.

San Juan coach Kerwin Francois explained that they were trying to slow down the game, break the lines, and get some passes into the attacking third.

“From the defensive third to the middle third we were getting some easy penetration,” said Francois. “But when we got to the final third, we were having a little issue going forward and getting shots.”

His team were unable to register any shots by the halftime whistle.

At the interval, Francois moved Shinika Lewis, their best attacking player in the first half, from her deep midfield role to striker, and asked Afiyah Charles to retreat to partner with Aniyah Johnson and Kezia Jacob in midfield.

It did give San Juan more of an attacking threat, and Lewis needed only four minutes to record her team’s first shot of the game. But it also removed their most progressive passer from the middle of the field, and quality service forward proved largely elusive.

Five Rivers shuffled players around as well. Hackett was pushed out to left wing, while Herbert moved infield. Hackett was not as comfortable out on the flank and struggled to make the same impact as in the first half.

Five Rivers’ approach remained the same though. They forced a couple of turnovers in the 49^th and 53^rd minutes. Herbert shot the first wide of the mark. The second, she buried under an advancing Cox to put the game out of reach.

San Juan’s Jacob then released Lewis with a fine through ball, and the striker seemed set to put her team on the scoreboard when Daniel clipped her heel, bringing her to the turf in a heavy fall.

Inexplicably, referee Colin Syriac waved play on and left the San Juan team perplexed by his decision.

After that, it was all Five Rivers who may well have added to their tally if not for some spectacular goalkeeping from Cox. Just after the hour mark, she saved a Goodridge free kick.

Then, a minute later, she came to her team’s rescue as Goodridge pounced on a loose ball in the area, but her heavy touch allowed Cox to gather the ball and snuff out the danger.

Five Rivers continued to press forward against a tiring San Juan team, and Goodridge set up midfielder Mariah Matthews, only for Cox to intervene again with a sprawling save.

Matthews then miskicked an acrobatic overhead kick from a Herbert corner to the delight of the supporters.

In the 73^rd minute, Goodridge again created a goal-scoring opportunity, but Cox saved Herbert’s effort before her defenders, led by Mitchell, kept out Goodridge and then Matthews in a goal-mouth scramble.

San Juan mustered one more opportunity when substitute right winger Jada Joseph played a through pass for Johnson, who was able to round onrushing keeper Akeila George, only to run out of real estate as she tried, in vain, to add the finishing touch.

Neither team were able to add to the scoring and the full-time whistle closed the game out at 3-0.

Five Rivers coach Desiree Sarjeant was pleased with her team’s three points, although she felt they could have been better with their positional play.

“The season is still new, and hopefully the more we play, the better,” said Sarjeant. “They’re like an OJT—learning in the game.”

The grass on Five Rivers’ designated home field, Prime Minister’s Park, has not been properly cut for some time, leaving only small portions of the field for the players to train.

“Now, when you have to translate to the bigger field,” said Sarjeant, “you see where you’re lacking in some areas because of that lack of facility to train.”

Coach Francois was pleased with how San Juan North moved the ball in possession, but lamented injuries that left him short on quality up front.

“We had a couple of injuries, so we had a couple of people step on the field who were short on experience, [as it was] their first time playing,” said Francois. “[…] We’re looking to tighten up in the attacking third, so when we see them again, we look forward to improvement in that area.”

Teams

Five Rivers Secondary School (4-3-3): 00.Akeila George (GK); 3.Taylynn Calderon, 2.Akira Charles, 14.Bryanna Vesprey, 8.Kalifa Allen; 10.Mariah Matthews, 17.Shaquilla Daniel (captain), 5.Tashana Hackett; 13.Ameeda Bowman, 9.Hackeemar Goodridge, 7.Jayda Herbert.

Unused substitutes: 4.Kayanna Williams, 6.Sarai Peters, 12.Zendaya Burnley, 15.Sariya Alfread, 16.Safisha Ragguette, 20.Jovanna Hector, 21.Michaela Harewood.

Coach: Desiree Sarjeant.

San Juan North Secondary (4-3-3): 30.Myeisha Cox (GK); 19.Tara St Rose, 16.Kimora Mitchell (captain), 5.Taya Williams, 4.Briana Fraser; 9.Shinika Lewis, 15.Kezia Jacob, 10.Aniya Johnson; 6.Anaya Busby (7.Jada Joseph 74), 12.Afiyah Charles, 8.Chelsea Sealey.

Unused substitutes: 1.Alisha Albino (GK), 11.Seraphim Bostic, 13.Julia Stewart, 17.Shenecia Williams.

Coach: Kerwin Francois.

Referee: Colin Syriac.

SSFL Girls Championship results

East Zone

(Thu 2 October)

Five Rivers Secondary School 3 (Hackeemar Goodridge 4, Ameeda Bowman 11, Jadya Herbert 53), San Juan North Secondary 0 at West El Dorado Secondary School Ground;

El Dorado East 0, St Augustine Secondary 3.

Standings (Played-Won-Drew-Lost-Goals For-Goals Against-Points)

• Five Rivers Sec    3-3-0-0-30–0-9
• San Juan North   3-1-1-1-7-4-4
• BAHSE                 3-1-1-1-6-11-4
• St Augustine Sec  2-1-0-1-6-5-3
• El Dorado East    3-0-0-3-0–29-0

North Zone

(Thu 2 October)

Diego Martin Central 3, Holy Name Convent (POS) 4;

East Mucurapo 0, St Joseph’s Convent (POS) 5.

Standings (Played-Won-Drew-Lost-Goals For-Goals Against-Points)

• SJC POS               3-3-0-0-22–0-9
• East Mucurapo    3-2-1-1-10-10-7
• Holy Name            3-2-0-1-12-7-6
• Diego Martin Sec  3-0-1-2-5-18-1
• Tranquillity Sec    3-0-0-3-1-15-0

Tobago Zone

(Thu 2 Oct)

Mason Hall Sec 0, Signal Hill Sec 12 (Leia-Marie Balfour [3], Ty’Kaiya Dennis [3], Alliyah Baptiste [3], Kaleah Duke [3]);

Bishop’s High School 2 (Gyasi Lewis, Kcey Reid), Speyside Secondary 0;

Scarborough Secondary 3, Roxborough Secondary 0;

*–game awarded to Scarborough by default.

Standings (Played-Won-Drew-Lost-Goals For-Goals Against-Points)

Signal Hill Sec      4-4-0-0-41–1-12

Scarborough Sec  4-3-1-0-6-1-10

Bishop’s High       4-2-0-2-9-5-6

Speyside High       4-1-1-2-6-7-4

Mason Hall Sec    4-1-0-3-6-23-3

Pentecostal L&L  3-0-2-1-1-9-2

Roxborough Sec   3-0-0-3-2-25-0

South Zone

(Thu 2 Oct)

Moruga Secondary 0, St Joseph’s Convent (San F’do) 3;

St Stephen’s College 0, Pleasantville Secondary 21.

Standings (Played-Won-Drew-Lost-Goals For-Goals Against-Points)

• Pleasantville Sec    2-2-0-0-27–0-6
• SJC S/F’do             3-2-0-1-9-7-6
• St Stephen’s Coll   3-1-0-2-4-29-3
• Moruga Sec            2-0-0-2-2-6-0.