SSFL 24: East Mucurapo stun Speyside 4-2; Trinity East avoid relegation

East Mucurapo Secondary attacker Jalane Browne did not score a single goal for his school in their first 14 Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Premier Division outings.

But this afternoon, when it mattered most, the Browne bomber came up with a clutch hattrick as East Mucurapo defeated Speyside Secondary 4-2 in an extraordinary comeback at the Queen’s Royal College ground in St Clair.

Speyside needed a win to retain their place in the Premier Division. And, as they led 2-1 at halftime, the “Country Boys” appeared favoured to leapfrog Trinity College East to safety.

However, a stirring halftime talk from the East Mucurapo technical staff did the job, as the northern outfit scored three unanswered goals to stun the visitors. Speyside were reduced to 10 players after defender Milz Johnson was sent off after the break.

“Jalane Browne was the main man—he stepped up today and got the goals for the team,” said head coach Dale Saunders. “[Gershom] Chase got the other goal. Those fellahs really stepped up today!”

Browne, incidentally, scored three times in two matches during East Mucurapo’s brief North Zone Intercol adventure. He carried that form into this evening’s crucial affair.

Saunders credited assistants Michael Spencer and Marlon Williams for their vital inputs over the past week, to help revive his team’s chances.

“Coach Spencer and coach Marlon really did a fantastic job,” he said. “The boys needed motivation because they were down and out and they really got the right reaction from them during our last training sessions.

“[…] Today, I think the second half talk made the difference. We really dealt with the players in the proper way and we came out and took over the game after that.”

There is an elephant in the room. As of tonight, East Mucurapo only succeeded in dragging Speyside down with them.

Both teams are level on points (12) and goal difference (-13). However, the tie breaker is generally the number of goals scored—and Speyside have 21 items to East Mucurapo’s 14.

Regardless, both are still in the relegation zone.

That could change according to the SSFL Disciplinary Committee’s report regarding St Benedict’s College’s registration of captain and star player Derrel “Zoom Zoom” Garcia.

Eight years ago, East Mucurapo were relegated from the Premier Division after using a form six student, Abdus Ramcharan, who was deemed to have been ineligible to represent his school in the SSFL.

Although Ramcharan was an East Mucurapo student, he was accepted in sixth form with three passes, rather than the Ministry of Education’s minimum of four subjects.

East Mucurapo were allowed to give Ramcharan special dispensation to further his education—but he was not considered to be a legitimate student. And, ironically, it was St Benedict’s College who led the protest that saw East Mucurapo demoted.

Saunders, a former Trinidad and Tobago standout midfielder and Pro League champion coach with Central FC, has not forgotten.

“At the end of the day, Mucurapo got suspended from the league and went down for breaking the rule,” said Saunders. “For me, if you break the rule you have to pay that price. So, what is the difference [with St Benedict’s]?

“The little boy is a very good player—one of the top young players in the country. But rules were broken and you have to pay the price for it. It has to be the same across the board!”

For Speyside, their fall from grace was also a bolt from the blue. Earlier this month, the east Tobago team held Naparima College and Fatima College to draws in Trinidad and defeated Arima North Secondary 3-2.

They needed just three points from two home matches against St Mary’s College and Signal Hill Secondary and an away trip against the already relegated (or so it seemed) East Mucurapo to stay up.

Inexplicably, Speyside, who suffered from their own internal discord, lost all three to tally three defeats from their last four games.

But their ability to avoid a defeat by three goals could make the difference, according to what happens in the SSFL boardroom.

At present, the SSFL standings say that Speyside are going down with East Mucurapo and Miracle Ministries Pentecostal High School. But the fat lady might not have finished her rendition.

Editor’s Note: The SSFL Disciplinary Committee met on Thursday 14 November to rule on the St Benedict’s College registration issue. Up to the time of publication—four days later—the schools football body has still not revealed its verdict.

Wired868’s initial goal tally was off by one item. That adjustment brings Speyside Secondary and East Mucurapo Secondary level on goal difference, with the Tobago team having scored more goals.

SSFL Premier Division result

(Sun 17 Nov)

East Mucurapo Secondary 4 (Jalane Browne [3] Gershom Chase), Speyside Secondary 2 (Daviel Thomas, Shyon George) at QRC.

2024 SSFL Premier Division

Pos	Club	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
1	Fatima	15	12	2	1	50	11	39	38
2	Presentation	15	11	2	2	33	10	23	35
3	St Anthony's	15	11	0	4	38	19	19	33
4	St Benedict's	15	9	2	4	28	16	12	29
5	Arima North	15	6	6	3	26	14	12	24
6	QRC	15	7	3	5	24	19	5	24
7	Naparima	15	6	4	5	26	19	7	22
8	San Juan	15	7	1	7	28	27	1	22
9	Signal Hill	15	6	3	6	26	28	-2	21
10	Malick	15	6	2	7	30	32	-2	20
11	St Mary's	15	5	1	9	17	29	-12	16
12	St Augustine	15	4	3	8	11	34	-23	15
13	Trinity East	15	4	1	10	20	30	-10	13
14	Speyside	15	3	3	9	21	34	-13	12
15	Mucurapo	15	4	0	11	14	27	-13	12
16	Miracle Ministries	15	2	1	12	8	51	-43	7

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