SSFL 23: Fatima walk “Baba’s” talk to conquer Lewis Street in Naparima thriller

The last time that Fatima College conquered the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL), there was an alarming escalation in the Israel-Palestine conflict, Trinidad and Tobago had a doctor as prime minister and Argentina were World Cup champions.

Déjà vu?

Ever since St Benedict’s College started off their 2023 Premier Division campaign with a surprise wobble, it always seemed a matter of when not if regarding Fatima’s beeline to the title.

In midweek, head coach Hutson “Baba” Charles declared that day would be yesterday and nothing—not Naparima College, the run of play, or even a numerical disadvantage—would deny the northern princes, as they prevailed 2-1 against “Naps” on Lewis Street, San Fernando in the penultimate round of the competition.

It was Fatima’s first national league title since 1978.

For the 90 minutes of regulation time, Naparima were better and deservedly ahead. Coach Travis Mulraine’s team led for 84 minutes.

But in the eight minutes of stoppage time? Well, that was something else entirely. It was extraordinary.

“We never give up,” said Charles, in the immediate aftermath of the outing. “As I told them before, I come here for a win. They showed good character [yesterday]. This is the spirit of Fatima College!”

Champions, they say, find a way to win—which seems more than a bit like being wise after the fact. In truth, Naparima unsettled Fatima’s passing game and had the better of an ugly match.

After just six minutes, the hosts went ahead as Fatima’s accomplished custodian, Tristan Edwards, misjudged a deep, inswinging Jkwon Bailey corner kick and allowed towering Naparima defender Josiah Cooper to head into an empty net.

And, 84 minutes later, all Fatima had to show for their huffing and puffing was a long-range free kick from captain Jaden Williams that was clawed away by Naps custodian and former Fatima student Tyrese Romain.

To be more precise, Fatima managed one shot on target in 90 minutes and had just 42% ball possession with a pass completion rate of 46%.

“At halftime, I told them I don’t know why you are holding back,” said Charles. “All we have to do is raise the intensity. Don’t worry about losing the game—even if we lose, we still go forward [to the next round] with a two-point lead.

“So, I said just go out and play your game.”

Fatima were better at the restart but there was still little to alarm Romain.

“They can’t come and win no league on this ground!” Mulraine shouted intermittently from his technical area—to nobody and everybody at once.

Things appeared to go from bad to worse for the visiting team in the first minute of stoppage time, as captain and former Men’s National Under-17 defender Jaden Williams was shown a second yellow card by referee Kwinsi Williams after a tussle for the ball with Naparima forward Tevin Pantor.

Both bookings came for fouls on the same play. The Fatima defender should have no complaints about the first caution, but the second looked a touch harsh by his namesake.

Jaden’s father and Fatima team manager Stephen “Bison” Williams as well as goalkeeper coach Declan Squires gave their unsolicited views on the decision to the referee—and promptly got matching red cards.

In a flash, Fatima were a goal down, a man down and short of two technical staff members.

And, almost immediately, the northern team scored at the other end—without actually taking a shot.

Naparima were slow to react to a short corner kick, which allowed the Fatima pair of Christian Bailey and Michael Chaves to work the ball around the lone defending player, Jabari Forbes. And Chaves’ driven ball into the area was inadvertently turned into the net by Cooper—the SportsMax commentators’ odds-on favourite for man of the match at that stage.

“It was just like in the San Juan game,” said Charles. “We also lost our skipper in that game and the 10 men rallied to score three goals against San Juan. It was something similar today.”

In Bourg Mulatresse on Saturday 30 September, the two teams were locked at two goals apiece up to the 86th minute with Fatima a player short. Inexplicably, the 10-man Fatima outfit won 5-3—thanks to an 87th minute Joshua Mason strike and two stoppage time goals.

It does not make sense; and yet it happened again on Lewis Street yesterday.

“I told the guys I want to win the league and my staff and I devised a plan,” said Charles, “and this is the end result. We won the league with a game to go.”

Like the pilot who announces his arrival time in New York beforehand and then looks for a path through the clouds to make good on his word, Charles’ Fatima outfit have a way of walking the talk—of speaking things into being.

Even as referee Williams handed out cards like a playboy on Valentine’s Day, the former soldier was unruffled. Presumably, thinking about the path to three points.

Two minutes after Cooper’s own goal, a culmination of Naparima’s dozy defending at a set piece, more disaster struck the home team.

Fatima attacking midfielder Aidan De Gannes rolled an opposing defender too easily on the byline to break free. De Gannes would not have noticed that the Naparima defender actually cramped up as he conceded vital ground.

The attacker’s cross was so precise that it allowed the diminutive Caden Trestrail to impersonate Kenwyne Jones at the far post with an impressive downward header past Romain.

“In training, coach always encourages the midfielders to push into the box,” said the 15-year-old Trestrail, a former National Under-15 player. “So, I just did what the coach asked.”

Indeed.

“We couldn’t maintain the intensity coming down late in the second half,” Mulraine told a SportsMax interviewer, as he pointed to the lack of impact by his substitutes. “[…] Eventually Fatima clawed their way back into the game.”

There is more than one way to skin a cat, said a very odd person whose name was not preserved alongside the bizarre expression. But, well, Fatima… You get the drift.

Four years ago, Fatima were heading for life in the SSFL Championship Division (second tier) when Charles was sounded about taking over the team. He coached the school before but left to work with the Trinidad and Tobago Men’s National Under-20 Team at the 2009 World Youth Cup.

“When they got relegated in 2018, I got a call from one of my good friends, Russell Sutton, that Fatima want to bring you back on board,” said Charles. “I was kind of reluctant. I had just handed in my resignation to the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association after they got rid of [coach Stephen] Hart.

“I said I wanted to retire from coaching.”

At the time, few might have taken notice of the coaching changes in the SSFL’s second division. Wayne Sheppard resigned as Fatima head coach and headed to Arima North Secondary where their own head coach, Mulraine, also stepped down after a calamitous season.

Two full seasons later, after the Covid-19 interruption, Charles led Fatima to their first Premier Division title, Mulraine is in his second year at the formidable Naparima, and Sheppard took Arima up to the top tier and a top six spot (so far).

“When we went there in 2019, we could see they had a nice talented bunch,” said Charles. “It was just to organise them. For instance, one of my leading scorers, Jordan Romany, was playing at right back. I realised we had a team that could do something.

“We lost our first game to Tranquil and after that we didn’t lose again [until after we were promoted].”

Charles thanked sponsors Dwight Andrews (TSZ), Christian Flemming (Mustang Engineering and Contracting Services), Khan’s Meat Shop and the Fatima Old Boys for their support, along with parents, teachers, and his support staff.

“[…] And last but not least, the players who believed in what we are doing and gave their all!”

In a previous interview, Charles vowed to replicate in 2024 any titles his boys lay claim to this season. And he is not done with 2023 just yet.

“This season, we set our goal for the double,” said the Fatima coach. “I told [the players] I want to win the league—but I also want to defend our crown, which is the National Intercol [trophy].”

Baba has spoken.

But expect a response from not only Mulraine’s Naparima but Randolph Boyce’s St Benedict’s College, Shawn Cooper’s Presentation College (San Fernando) and Jerry Moe’s San Juan North Secondary.

If yesterday’s outing was any guide, it should be an epic Intercol competition.

SSFL Premier Division results

(Saturday 28 October)

Naparima College 1 (Josiah Cooper 7), Fatima College 2 (Josiah Cooper OG 90+5, Caden Trestrail 90+7) at Lewis Street;

Arima North 1 (Theron O’Brien 27), St Anthony’s College 1 (Russel Francois 41) at Larry Gomes Stadium;

Trinity East 0, St Benedict’s College 5 (Jaden Grant [2], Daniel Jones, Josiah Ochoa, Malachi Webb) at Trincity;

St Mary’s College 3 (Kyle Phillip [2], Dusan Cooper), Chaguanas North 1 (Justin Lewis) at Serpentine Road;

Presentation (San F’do) 4 (Kaille Elliot [2], Levi Jones, Chaz Forde), Pleasantville Secondary 0 at Manny Ramjohn Stadium;

East Mucurapo 2 (Zion Harley, Jadon McShine), San Juan North 2 (Jaheem Danclar, Lindell Sween) at Fatima Ground.

Upcoming fixtures

(Tuesday 31 October)

Bishop’s High vs Trinity East, Plymouth Recreation Ground, 3.30pm;

Speyside High vs QRC, Speyside Recreation Ground, 3.30pm;

(Friday 3 November)

St Anthony’s College vs Naparima College, Westmoorings, 3.30pm;

St Mary’s College vs Fatima College, Serpentine Road, 3.30pm;

St Benedict’s College vs Malick Secondary, Mahaica Oval, 3.30pm;

Presentation (San F’do) vs East Mucurapo, Manny Ramjohn Stadium, 3.30pm;

QRC vs Arima North, Queen’s Royal College Ground, 3.30pm;

Bishop’s High vs Pleasantville Secondary, Plymouth Recreation Ground, 3.30pm;

Chaguanas North vs San Juan North, Edinburgh 500, 3.30pm;

Trinity East vs Speyside High, Trincity, 3.30pm.