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FC Santa Rosa and Police FC played to an opportunity-laden goalless draw yesterday as action continued in the CNG National Super League Premiership Division at the Marvin Lee Stadium, Macoya.
The hundred or so spectators who turned up to watch the contest must have left scratching their heads at the finishing on display, as both teams missed regulation chances throughout the match.
(Courtesy Wired868)
Santa Rosa coach Keith Look Loy did not appear to see the funny side of things.
First, Look Loy substituted his starting striker Richard Inniss in the first half and then withdrew Inniss’ replacement, Rashad Griffith, in the second half. Both gentlemen were guilty of missing clear-cut chances and their coach was having none of it.
“They weren’t performing the roles I wanted from them,” said Look Loy.
He explained that Inniss had only just returned from injury and he planned to rest him at some point. However, he said the striker forced his hand.
“It wasn’t only a matter of fitness or missing chances because they both missed chances,” Look Loy told Wired868, “but it was also a matter of performing the role.
“That player (striker) in this team has to hold the ball up and bring players into play and neither of them did that. Therefore the fluidity of the attack was being affected negatively because they kept losing the ball.”
Before Look Loy could turn his attention to Inniss and Griffith, a certain Mr Kareem Perry occupied his focus.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)
The wily Police attacker twice came close to opening the scoring within the first 15 minutes and his cheeky lobbed attempt left Santa Rosa custodian Kitwana Manning scrambling as early as the seventh minute, only to skim the crossbar and stayed out.
Santa Rosa midfielder Keston Henry tried to outdo Perry but a brilliant fingertip save from Theon Browne kept out the effort.
Santa Rosa slowly came into its own midway through the first half and Inniss and Browne had a personal duel as the Police defence seemed to briefly go off-duty.
In the 21st minute, Real Dedier was caught napping in possession by Inniss in his defensive third and the Santa Rosa striker came face to face with Browne but could not squeeze a shot past the burly custodian.
In the 34th minute, Inniss was played through by teammate Shaka Pilgrim but his intentions to go around the Police goalie were read long in advance. Christian Young and Osei Sandy looked sure bets to score too but also could not get past Browne’s brave shot-stopping, as Santa Rosa took full control of the affair.
By then, Look Loy had already replaced Inniss with Griffith. But the latter striker did not fare too well in front of goal himself.
There was little to celebrate yesterday as Police FC and FC Santa Rosa played to a goalless draw.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)
Griffith could have had a hat-trick within a 10 minute spell, early in the second half, but he apparently left his shooting boots home. Griffith struggled to find his radar and, whenever he did, Browne was up to the task.
As the game wore on, the Santa Rosa players seemed increasingly gun shy and unwilling to challenge Browne’s mammoth frame.
“Shoot the ball nah!” Look Loy shouted from the sidelines.
Look Loy’s yelling seemed to wake a few attackers up. But they were not his.
The “Lawmen” had a flurry of late chances to snatch the game but today was not a day for clinical finishing.
Jason Boodram was the biggest culprit of them all, as he failed to convert an 86th minute header with the goal at his mercy. Santa Rosa goalkeeper, Manning, lay helpless on the ground at the time and he was quick to console Boodram.
He may have well said: “thank you, officer.”
(Teams)
Police FC (4-3-3): 22.Theon Browne (GK), 19.Kemron Purcell, 4.Real Dedier, 6.Kheon Archie (captain), 8.Akiba Peters; 44.Colin Williams (5.Osei Charles 55), 17.Kenaz Williams, 11.Casey Latapy; 31.Keylon Wyllie (10.Jason Boodram 55), 13.Dwight Elliott, 3.Kareem Perry (23.Neil Marcano 63).
Unused Substitutes: 1.Kelvin Charles (GK), 2.Nykell James, 14.Nigel Melville, 26.Kwame Hazel.
Coach: Ian Elcock
FC Santa Rosa (4-2-3-1): 22.Kitwana Manning (GK); 3.Keron Reid (23.Claudius Howard 81), 13.Jovan Rochford (Captain), 5.Alfie James, 15.Osei Sandy; 11.Durwin Ross, 26.Keston Henry; 25.Christian Young, 8.Shaka Pilgrim, 21.Jean-Paul Aqui-Blanc; 10.Richard Inniss (7.Rashad Griffith 39 [19.Gary Bart 73]).
Unused Substitutes: 1.Anthony Kallicharan (GK), 4.Jeremy McMeo, 17.Kearn Noel, 18.Shaquille Antoine.
Coach: Keith Look Loy
Referee: Gregory Lewis
Man of the Match: Theon Browne (Police FC)
Looking on are YTC inmates.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)
CNG National Super League Premiership Division
(Sunday August 30)
Marabella Family Crisis Centre 3 (Juma Clarence 13, 20, Arvid Applewhite 45), Siparia Spurs 3 (Jamal John 29, Jesse Edwards 76, Daniel Garcia 90), Mannie Ramjohn Stadium;
FC Santa Rosa 0, Police FC 0, Marvin Lee Stadium;
Petrotrin Palo Seco 1 (Akeem Grant 28), Guaya Utd 5 (Ryan Stewart 21, 24, 37, Carlon Hughes 42, Hakeem Rolingston 58), Palo Seco Velodrome;
1976 FC Phoenix 1 (Andel Brown 30), Real Maracas FC 2 (Christian Thomas 19, Shaquile Smith 55), Canaan Rec Ground;
NLCB La Horquetta SA 3 (Kern Roberts 12, Kwesi Windsor 21, Omeaku Barbour 32), Club Sando Moruga 5 (OG 27, Maurice Dick 47, 53, 58, Sharkell Louison 85), Larry Gomes Stadium;
Bethel United 1 (Anton Simon 90), WASA FC 0, Montgomery Rec Ground.
Championship Division
(Tuesday September 1)
Prisons FC v Petit Valley Utd, YTC, Arouca, 4.15 pm;
UTT v Saddle Hill Hotspur, UTT, O’Meara, Arima, 6 pm;
Cunupia FC v Xtra Foods Chaguanas FC, Edinburgh 500 Rec ground, 7 pm;
Barrackpore Utd v QPCC, Barrackpore Recreation Ground, 7 pm;
Malabar FC v Edinburgh 500, D’Abadie Recreation Ground, 7 pm.
Premiership Division
(Thursday September 3)
Real Maracas FC v Bethel United, Maracas Recreation Ground, 4 pm;
NLCB La Horquetta SA v 1976 FC Phoenix, Larry Gomes Stadium, 4 pm;
WASA FC v Stokely Vale FC, WASA, St Joseph, 5 pm;
Club Sando Moruga v Petrotrin Palo Seco, Grand Chemin Recreation Ground, 4 pm;
Guaya United v Police FC, Guaya Recreation Ground, 4 pm;
Defence Force FC v Marabella Family Crisis Centre, Ato Boldon Stadium, 4 pm;
FC Santa Rosa v Matura ReUnited, Marvin Lee Stadium, 5 pm.
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We were not too dis-satisfied with a point from yesterday’s match. We went into the match in tenth place in the table with Police in fifth. Some context. It was our ninth outing of the season. Having lost the first two by a combined score of 12:3 – I was at the CONCACAF Gold Cup – we are in the process of righting the ship. In our subsequent seven matches we have won two, drawn three and lost two, scoring twelve goals and conceding five. We are now undefeated in four consecutive matches, including yesterday’s. We could have won but didn’t so we look forward to the next match and he rest of the season. Still, we believe we in a good way now. We are a small, under-resourced, club – even by Super League standards – but we will continue working hard to represent Arima and environs with success. “A luta continua”.
It isn’t normal for Wired868 not to have a photographer at an event. But it was just one of those things and I’m sure it won’t become a regular occurrence. 😉