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Malick Secondary failed to lift a team trophy at any level in the 2023 Secondary Schools Football (SSFL) season. However, Malick can boast of the top scorer in the Premier Division competition: Oba Samuel.
Yesterday afternoon, Samuel leapfrogged St Benedict’s College forward Malachi Webb to the goal scoring award with a hattrick in Malick’s 5-2 win away to Bishop’s High in Tobago.
Photo: Daniel Prentice/ Wired868
It was not as straightforward as it sounds.
Bishop’s High, who are 14th in the 16 team standings and already relegated to the Championship Division, were short of several starters due to a combination of injuries and studies for end of term exams.
Yet, the two teams were locked at 1-1 at the interval and then 2-2 in the second half. And Samuel, the bustling forward, was not among the scorers.
Even after Samuel did open his account at the Plymouth Recreation Ground to guarantee three points for the visitors, he looked to be running out of time for his personal accolade.
Samuel scored once in a 2-1 loss to Speyside.
Photo: Daniel Prentice/ Wired868
Samuel still had only one goal in the match and 15 for the Premier Division season—one less than Webb—when he stepped up to take a penalty with roughly five minutes on the clock. And his shot was saved by stand-in goalkeeper Keaton Griffiths!
Samuel converted the rebound, though. And, within touching distance of personal glory, he completed his third hattrick of the season to overhaul Webb’s mark.
He finished with 17 goals in the 15-match season.
Bishop’s have one more game this season against Pleasantville Secondary and the game is expected to play in Plymouth on Wednesday.
Pleasantville—like Bishop’s and Chaguanas North Secondary—are also assured of relegation, but a result in midweek will see the southern school move off the foot of the table.
Photo: Daniel Prentice/ Wired868
How Samuel and Webb got their goals:
Samuel: QRC (H) (one goal), Chaguanas North (H) (one goal), Speyside High (H) (one goal), St Mary’s College (H) (one goal), St Anthony’s College (A) (two goals), Pleasantville Secondary (A) (four goals), San Juan North (A) (one goal), East Mucurapo Secondary (H) (three goals), Bishop’s High (A) (three goals) = 17 goals
Webb: Bishop’s High (A) (one goal), Naparima College (A) (one goal), Presentation (San F’do) (H) (two goals), Chaguanas North (A) (three goals), St Mary’s College (A) (three goals), QRC (H) (one goal), Pleasantville Secondary (A) (one goal), Trinity College East (A) (one goal), Malick Secondary (H) (three goals) = 16 goals
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Arima Araucans
SSFL Premier Division results
(Saturday 2 December)
Bishop’s High 2 (Kerron Arthur, Kaieem Lewis), Malick Secondary 5 (Oba Samuel [3], Jordan Ferdinand, Josante Duncan) at Plymouth Recreation Ground;
Upcoming fixture
(Wednesday 6 December)
Bishop’s High v Pleasantville Secondary, 3pm, Plymouth Recreation Ground.
2023 SSFL Premier Division
| Pos | Club | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Fatima | 15 | 13 | 1 | 1 | 50 | 8 | 42 | 40 |
| 2 |  St Benedict's | 15 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 51 | 10 | 41 | 35 |
| 3 |  San Juan | 15 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 37 | 15 | 22 | 33 |
| 4 |  Presentation | 15 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 25 | 8 | 17 | 31 |
| 5 |  Naparima | 15 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 48 | 14 | 34 | 27 |
| 6 |  Arima North | 15 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 24 | 10 | 14 | 26 |
| 7 |  St Anthony's | 15 | 8 | 2 | 5 | 34 | 21 | 13 | 26 |
| 8 |  Malick | 15 | 6 | 2 | 7 | 42 | 27 | 15 | 20 |
| 9 |  Trinity East | 15 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 24 | 28 | -4 | 18 |
| 10 |  Mucurapo | 15 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 28 | 40 | -12 | 18 |
| 11 |  QRC | 15 | 5 | 2 | 8 | 30 | 32 | -2 | 17 |
| 12 |  Speyside | 15 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 18 | 29 | -11 | 17 |
| 13 |  St Mary's | 15 | 5 | 2 | 8 | 26 | 40 | -14 | 17 |
| 14 |  Bishop's Tobago | 14 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 9 | 45 | -36 | 4 |
| 15 |  Chaguanas North | 15 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 5 | 64 | -59 | 4 |
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