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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><SPAN class=TopStory>Lowe hits hat-trick to pilot Portmore</SPAN>
<SPAN class=Subheadline></SPAN></TD></TR><TR><TD>PAUL A REID, Observer Writer
Thursday, March 15, 2007
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<P class=StoryText align=justify>MONTEGO BAY, St James - Former national player Onandi Lowe scored a hat-trick yesterday, including a stunning first-half free-kick to send Portmore into the semi-finals of the Red Stripe Champions Cup KO after spanking listless Wadadah 4-0 in their quarter-final return-leg game at Catherine Hall Complex.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Portmore won the tie 5-1 on aggregate after the Montego Bay team scored late in the first-leg played at Ferdie Neita Park last week to earn a 1-1 tie.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Lowe scored for Portmore in the 27th minute to take the lead and never let up, running rings around the home side.
Lowe added goals in the 45th and 76th minutes as Mario Swaby got the other in the 49th.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Christopher Bender, a member of the Portmore coaching staff, said the difference between yesterday's game and the first leg was simply a matter of converting chances.<P class=StoryText align=justify>"We started well, got the early goal and that set the tempo for the rest of the game. The difference between today's game land the first leg was that we converted our chances. We created a lot of chances last week, but did not convert, so it was simply a matter of increasing conversion rate and took care of the business," Bender said.<P class=StoryText align=justify>While they did not expect the game to be so easy, Bender told the Observer they came prepared for anything that Wadadah had to throw at them.<P class=StoryText align=justify>It was an almost one-sided affair as Wadadah barely bothered Portmore's goalkeeper Shawn Sawyers throughout the game.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Portmore got off to a fast start and kept Wadadah pinned in their own area for long periods and the first goal was only a matter of time.
The alert Lowe picked off an errant pass from a Wadadah defender and beat goalkeeper Gavine Barrett to his left to give Portmore the lead.<P class=StoryText align=justify>His curling left-footed free-kick just on the stroke of half-time, just cleared the Wadadah wall and curled away from Barrett into the far left corner of the goal.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Swaby converted from close range four minutes into the second half after a good build-up down the right-hand side caught Wadadah flatfooted.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Ten minutes after hitting the post with a one-time half-volley shot, Lowe popped up in the right place in the 76th minute to head home into an almost empty goal to complete the scoring.
<SPAN class=Subheadline></SPAN></TD></TR><TR><TD>PAUL A REID, Observer Writer
Thursday, March 15, 2007
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<P class=StoryText align=justify>MONTEGO BAY, St James - Former national player Onandi Lowe scored a hat-trick yesterday, including a stunning first-half free-kick to send Portmore into the semi-finals of the Red Stripe Champions Cup KO after spanking listless Wadadah 4-0 in their quarter-final return-leg game at Catherine Hall Complex.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Portmore won the tie 5-1 on aggregate after the Montego Bay team scored late in the first-leg played at Ferdie Neita Park last week to earn a 1-1 tie.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Lowe scored for Portmore in the 27th minute to take the lead and never let up, running rings around the home side.
Lowe added goals in the 45th and 76th minutes as Mario Swaby got the other in the 49th.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Christopher Bender, a member of the Portmore coaching staff, said the difference between yesterday's game and the first leg was simply a matter of converting chances.<P class=StoryText align=justify>"We started well, got the early goal and that set the tempo for the rest of the game. The difference between today's game land the first leg was that we converted our chances. We created a lot of chances last week, but did not convert, so it was simply a matter of increasing conversion rate and took care of the business," Bender said.<P class=StoryText align=justify>While they did not expect the game to be so easy, Bender told the Observer they came prepared for anything that Wadadah had to throw at them.<P class=StoryText align=justify>It was an almost one-sided affair as Wadadah barely bothered Portmore's goalkeeper Shawn Sawyers throughout the game.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Portmore got off to a fast start and kept Wadadah pinned in their own area for long periods and the first goal was only a matter of time.
The alert Lowe picked off an errant pass from a Wadadah defender and beat goalkeeper Gavine Barrett to his left to give Portmore the lead.<P class=StoryText align=justify>His curling left-footed free-kick just on the stroke of half-time, just cleared the Wadadah wall and curled away from Barrett into the far left corner of the goal.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Swaby converted from close range four minutes into the second half after a good build-up down the right-hand side caught Wadadah flatfooted.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Ten minutes after hitting the post with a one-time half-volley shot, Lowe popped up in the right place in the 76th minute to head home into an almost empty goal to complete the scoring.
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