Intercol 25: Signal Hill edge St Anthony’s to final spot; ‘P-ville’ and Five Rivers girls advance

Signal Hill Secondary are heading to the National Intercol final after a tense 1–0 victory over St Anthony’s College at the Hasely Crawford Stadium today, thanks to a dream intervention from super-sub Siel Mills.

Mills had been on the field for barely a minute when he notched the winner in the 77th, guiding home his first touch of the match.

St Anthony’s were left feeling aggrieved after two controversial moments in the Signal Hill box in the second half.

Forward Jean-Marc Thomas thought he had given the “Westmoorings Tigers” the lead in the 57^th minute, only for his hooked effort to be ruled out for handball.

And, just moments before Signal Hill found their winner, goalkeeper Kaleb Romeo survived a heart-stopping moment of controversy.

After diving to his right to pull in a fierce Mordecai Ford drive, he released the ball, then swiftly scooped it up again—drawing protests from the St Anthony’s bench for illegal handling.

Romeo punted the ball downfield, and from the counterattack, Mills swept in the decisive goal in the 77th minute.

Signal Hill will now face red-hot favorites Naparima College in the final on Wednesday—a rematch of the SSFL Premiership decider, which Naps won 2–1.

The San Fernando giants are chasing the treble, which is a feat only they have achieved in the Premier Division era.

“It feels good. It feels really, really good for the players,” Signal Hill head coach Downie Marcelle told Wired868. “We came so close in the league, and we still have a chance to win a national title.”

In the Girls’ Intercol, Pleasantville Secondary stormed into the final with starlet Nikita Gosine leading them to a 5–0 rout of defending champions St Joseph’s Convent (Port of Spain).

They will meet Five Rivers Secondary, who advanced thanks to an early strike from Hakeemar Goodridge.

“Pleasantville stay relevant because we put in the hard work,” said head coach Brian London. “Today is just a testament to the work of the players and coaching staff.”

The finals are set for Wednesday at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva.

At the Hasely Crawford Stadium, a cagey start may have been expected after both Signal Hill and St Anthony’s survived nerve-shredding quarterfinal encounters to make it to the semifinals.

Both teams quickly cranked up their high-octane offences—the Tigers led by the sublime Ford, with the equally talented Immanuel Wright driving Signal Hill forward.

However, neither team generated much goalmouth action from free play.

Signal Hill had the first real opportunity, directly from a corner. Jermaine Morgan’s in-swinging delivery was punched away from goal by St Anthony’s goalkeeper Necose Moore.

St Anthony’s best chance came midway through the first half from a barnstorming run by Kanye Glasgow, who dribbled through two defenders down the right flank, only to shave the far post with his close-range shot.

However, it was Signal Hill that finished the half stronger, as Wright made his presence felt.

The lanky winger was tripped up in the St Anthony’s area, and referee Jordan Cox had no hesitation in pointing to the spot.

But Signal Hill skipper Ackim Duncan, who scored a hattrick of penalties in the Tobago Intercol final against Speyside Secondary, ballooned his kick to the right of the goal, to the relief of the St Anthony’s team.

It was the last action of a goalless first half, one that coach Marcelle thought was a fair reflection of play.

“They started really, really well, they moved the ball quickly… but after 20 to 25 minutes we got into a rhythm and created numerous chances,” he said. “It was an even first half. They controlled the first part of it, and we controlled the second part.”

In the second half, St Anthony’s came out with renewed resolve and once more sternly interrogated the Signal Hill defence.

St Anthony’s head coach, Ronald Daniel, brought on Jean-Marc Thomas, and he proved to be the ideal foil for Ford to play off.

“We moved number 14 (J-M Thomas) more central with Ford—these two are more senior guys, so you will see their maturity and understanding,” said Daniel.

Glasgow had been switched over to the left flank, and he would provide the pass that led to the first flashpoint of the game.

He glided past the Signal Hill fullback and sent an early cross towards the penalty spot where John was unmarked.

The ball dipped quickly on the St Anthony’s forward, but he controlled it with a combination of his thigh and body, before turning to lash it past the advancing Romeo into the net.

Celebrations were cut short quickly as referee Cox signalled for a free kick to Signal Hill.

Daniel was not impressed with the decision.

“There is no way; when you see the video, there was a handball,” said the St Anthony’s coach. “He was not in the right position to see it. If you are not in the right position, the attacking team should get the advantage.”

Video evidence shows referee Cox putting the whistle to his lips even before John lashed the ball into the net. While the angle shown on television coverage does not conclusively establish a handball, it does show that Cox was in an excellent position to view the play.

St Anthony’s captain, Ford, passionately argued his team’s case with the official, but the decision stood.

Ten minutes later, St Anthony’s bench was up on their feet once again after Romeo made the first of three brilliant second-half saves.

Moments after Signal Hill brought on Mills for Wright, Ford hit a scorching left-footed shot towards the Signal Hill goal.

Romeo dived forward and to his left to pouch the ball, and he lay there for a couple of seconds. He released the ball from his grasp and then got up and picked up the ball quickly before punting it downfield.

Kevin Mussio, the St Anthony’s goalkeeping coach, was watching the action from just beyond the corner flag. In the video, he is seen leaping up quickly and drawing the assistant referee’s attention.

While Mussio registered his protest, the ball was already on its way towards the St Anthony’s half.

After a couple of touches from St Anthony’s players, Nickel Williams picked it up for Signal Hill. He split the St Antony’s defence with a sumptuous pass to Jahmiah Gibbes.

However, a defender slid in to deflect the ball away from Gibbes, and then goalkeeper Moore dived in to kick the ball away from the Signal Hill substitute.

Fortunately for the Tobago outfit, the ball rolled invitingly into the pathway of Mills, who side-footed into the net.

It was his first touch of the match, and, less than a minute after coming on, he scored the biggest goal of his young career.

As the Signal Hill team celebrated in front of the grandstand, the protests continued from the St Anthony’s bench.

Mussio, who led the remonstrations, was later given a yellow card.

“The goalkeeper dropped it and then picked it up and sent it down the road, and they scored,” said Daniel. “That should not be a goal.”

The St Anthony’s head coach said he spoke to the referee about the incident after the game.

“He said he didn’t see it,” Daniel said.

Wired868 spoke to several experienced referees on the decision. The response was not unanimous, although most agreed that the goal should stand.

The rule that goalkeepers should not pick up the ball after releasing it, they noted, was created to stop time-wasting. Romeo was clearly not trying to kill time.

By the letter of the law, Cox could not be faulted if he punished Romeo. However, most officials felt the Signal Hill goalkeeper did not breach the spirit of the law.

St Anthony’s still had time to earn an equaliser, and Daniel drove his players forward.

“I told the senior players: we have to go all out. We cannot defend again—we are down 1–0. They went for it,” he said.

His players responded, and the Tigers produced two gilt-edged chances that fell to Ford.

In the 82nd minute, substitute Marley Ramdass crossed from the left side, and the ball came to Ford after a defender miskicked.

Ford took the ball and spanked a left-footed shot low towards the corner, but Romeo pushed it away in a match-winning, brilliant save.

Then, four minutes into stoppage time, Signal Hill again failed to clear, and Ford smashed the ball towards the goal from the edge of the area.

This time, it flew straight at Romeo, and he got his body behind it to make another decisive save.

Then, after six and a half minutes of stoppage time, referee Cox brought the contest to an end.

Signal Hill players are exalted; their dream stays alive. St Anthony’s players flop to the ground; their season has come grinding to a halt.

Signal Hill last won the National Intercol title in 2010, when most of their current players were toddlers.

Now they have the chance to walk in the footsteps of their illustrious predecessors.

For coach Marcelle, it was a breakthrough for his team and a reward for consistent effort.

“This is the third time I’ve been in the semifinals,” he said. “So to be in the same position again and now reach the final, it feels good.”

Marcelle was full of praise for the work of his bench, which brought them victory.

“The three players who came on—Callany Job, Jahmiah Gibbes, and Siel Mills—have been impactful all season,” he said. “These boys are ready, whether from the beginning or in the 70th or 80th minute. Our players are really hungry.”

He was full of praise for his player of the match, Kaleb Romeo.

“Kaleb Romeo came up in the important moments with about three or four saves late in the game to keep that 1–0 scoreline intact,” Marcelle said, of the goalkeeper from Bethel.

Marcelle also praised the work of the Whim-born Mills.

“This is not the first time he came off the bench and impacted the game positively for us,” he said. “When he goes on the field, he gives 100 percent all the time.”

Signal Hill understand the storm that awaits them against Angus Eve’s Naparima, yet the dream burns bright.

“We know we have to bring our A-game if we want to beat them and become Intercol champions,” he said. “We relish this opportunity. The players are looking forward to it. I am looking forward to it.”

For St Anthony’s College, head coach Daniel reflected on his team’s inability to capitalise on their astute play throughout the match.

“We had a good start… but we didn’t capitalise,” he said. “If you don’t capitalise, at the end they will come back and haunt you.”

He praised the work of Romeo, who kept his team at bay.

“They were winning saves. At the end, we threw everything at them, and the keeper denied us,” Daniel said.

Daniel, whose team captured the North Zone Intercol title, spoke with pride about how far his young Tigers had come.

He revealed that he started the campaign without a single natural central defender and had to convert midfielders Adriel Faure and Makesi Kendall to do the job.

“These boys grew into it, and they were fantastic. They were fantastic,” he said, the sting of defeat evident in his voice.

Meanwhile, Pleasantville Secondary will be playing in their third straight Girls Intercol final and are gunning for their fourth KO title, and their second in three years.

Despite their recent dominance, Brian London finds little comfort in past glory.

The former national extempo champion can wax lyrical with the best of them, but he did not mince words when it came to his assessment of their performance.

“[I’m] not entirely pleased—we had defensive lapses, especially early in the second half,” London said, “Some errant passes on our part gave them looks they should not have had. So, yes, we have things to work on before Wednesday.”

However, the bright spark was the display by current Trinidad and Tobago senior international, Nikita Gosine.

“She’s a talent, and I can’t wait to see what her future holds as an international footballer,” he said, with a smile. “I’m excited to see what club she ends up at.”

London also revealed the heartbreaking news that their beloved team manager, Miss Allison Quashie-Boucher, lost her husband, Dale Boucher, on the morning of the match.

Dale Boucher was a member of Trinidad and Tobago’s famous 1991 Under-21 World Cup team, which became the first national team in the English-speaking Caribbean to qualify for a Fifa tournament.

Boucher, a former Signal Hill defender, played alongside Dwight Yorke, Jerren Nixon, Clayton Ince and Angus Eve on that national youth team, coached by Bertille St Clair.

“From here on, everything we do is for her,” said London. “Miss Boucher is the heartbeat of this team and has sacrificed everything for us—now it’s our turn to sacrifice to give her some relief and some joy.”

(Teams)

St Anthony’s College (4-2-3-1): 30.Necose Moore (GK); 6.Karim Millington, 8.Adriel Faure, 4.Makesi Kendall, 18.Malique Marshall (3.Jaimarley John 45); 5.Abdul John (20.Christian Renne 89), 9.Aadil Abdul-Hakeem Jr; 21.Kanye Glasgow, 10.Mordecai Ford (captain), 7.Jaeden Bobb (17.Marley Ramdass 78); 23.Kymani Thomas (14.ImmanuaaJean-Marc Thomas 44).

Unused substitutes: 1.Sylvon Theophilus (GK), 25.Kristoff Marcus (GK), 2.Jareem Mondezie, 11.Darion Bellerand, 19.Kareem McLeod.

Coach: Ronald Daniel.

Signal Hill Secondary (4-2-3-1): 1.Kaleb Romeo (GK); 19.Nickel Williams, 24.Kisean Grant, 8.Raevion Marshall, 14.Kyen Anderson; 18.Ackim Duncan (captain), 10.Jermaine Morgan (6.Khaleem Trim 36); 12.Immanual Wright (12.Siel Mills 76), 17.Jadiael Marcelle (5.Callany Job 70), 7.J’meke Watkins (4.Jahmiah Gibbes 67); 9.Kyle James (3.Daishawn Bradshaw 89).

Unused substitutes: 25.Emani Baptiste (GK),11.Antonio Hopkins, 2.Jaquon DeFour, 13.Jaden Marcelle, 20.Kaden James, 30.Kodi Cadiz.

Coach: Downie Marcelle.

Referee: Jordan Cox.

Intercol results

(Sat 6 Dec)

Girls National semifinals

Five Rivers Secondary 1 (Hackeemar Goodridge), Signal Hill Secondary 0 at Hasely Crawford Training Field;

St Joseph’s Convent (POS) 0, Pleasantville Secondary 5 (Nikita Gosine 2, 12, Kaeley Martin 65, Zara Chase 69, Natalia Gosine 77) at Hasely Crawford Stadium;

St Anthony’s College 0, Signal Hill Sec 1 (Siel Mills 77) at Hasely Crawford Stadium.

Upcoming fixtures

(Wed 10 Dec)

Pleasantville Secondary vs Five Rivers Secondary, Girls National final, 3pm, Ato Boldon Stadium.

Naparima College vs Signal Hill Secondary, Boys National final, 5pm, Ato Boldon Stadium.