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Sporting, St George's advance to NPL
By Livingston Scott Observer staff reporter
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Clarendon will get a taste of top-flight local football for the first time in seven years - following Hazard's move to St Catherine in 2000 - after Sporting Central held Granville FC to a 0-0 draw at Brancourt to book their place in the National Premier League.
At Lynch Park, home side St George's United stopped Police Nationals 3-1, courtesy of goals from Hilelide Dean (30th minute), Omar Brissett (40th) and Omar Henderson (87th), to also advance. Sheldon Campbell replied for the Lawmen.
Sporting finished atop the four-team group with 11 points and a better goal-difference over St George's, who are returning to the NPL after more than 19 years.
TUG-O-WAR: Sporting Central Academy's Christopher Mason and Granville FC's Oneil Sterling, engage in a tugging match during their NPL play-off game at Brancourt field in Clarendon yesterday. (Photo: Garfield Robinson)
St George's are the first team from Portland to grace the Premier League since Taurus in the early 1990.
Yesterday's game at Brancourt was short on quality, although the hosts started brightly and dominated play and the chances during the first half.
Victorious coach Kevin Williams said it was one of the most gruelling encounters he had faced in the sport.
"I understand the young players they were a bit anxious... but we were very tentative and it didn't allow us to play the type of football we'd like to," he said.
The visitors slowly came into their own midway the first-half and gave the home team a few scares. However, the standard of the game dropped considerable in the second half and the chances were rare for both teams.
Sporting's topscorer Oneke Ford should have given his team the lead 10 minutes into the second half, but he shot into the side-netting from six yards after bursting through the Granville defence.
Granville twice came close through Jason Rose, who redirected David Gillard's cross into the hands on goalkeeper Valdo Ricketts from six yards in the 58th.
The lanky dreadlocked midfielder then outjumped Ricketts to a poor clearance from inside the area, but his header landed just wide after 66 minutes.
The home team tried to hold possession, but their passing game was woeful and they frequently turned the ball over. They were given a breather in the 77th minute when defender Rodney Hines was shown the red card for a flagrant challenge on Karl Wiggan.
Granville had a glorious chance to steal a win at the death when top striker Jermaine Anderson latched onto a pass from Dushawn Woolry, but his half-volley flew into the side netting with three minutes to spare in regulation time.
By Livingston Scott Observer staff reporter
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Clarendon will get a taste of top-flight local football for the first time in seven years - following Hazard's move to St Catherine in 2000 - after Sporting Central held Granville FC to a 0-0 draw at Brancourt to book their place in the National Premier League.
At Lynch Park, home side St George's United stopped Police Nationals 3-1, courtesy of goals from Hilelide Dean (30th minute), Omar Brissett (40th) and Omar Henderson (87th), to also advance. Sheldon Campbell replied for the Lawmen.
Sporting finished atop the four-team group with 11 points and a better goal-difference over St George's, who are returning to the NPL after more than 19 years.
TUG-O-WAR: Sporting Central Academy's Christopher Mason and Granville FC's Oneil Sterling, engage in a tugging match during their NPL play-off game at Brancourt field in Clarendon yesterday. (Photo: Garfield Robinson)
St George's are the first team from Portland to grace the Premier League since Taurus in the early 1990.
Yesterday's game at Brancourt was short on quality, although the hosts started brightly and dominated play and the chances during the first half.
Victorious coach Kevin Williams said it was one of the most gruelling encounters he had faced in the sport.
"I understand the young players they were a bit anxious... but we were very tentative and it didn't allow us to play the type of football we'd like to," he said.
The visitors slowly came into their own midway the first-half and gave the home team a few scares. However, the standard of the game dropped considerable in the second half and the chances were rare for both teams.
Sporting's topscorer Oneke Ford should have given his team the lead 10 minutes into the second half, but he shot into the side-netting from six yards after bursting through the Granville defence.
Granville twice came close through Jason Rose, who redirected David Gillard's cross into the hands on goalkeeper Valdo Ricketts from six yards in the 58th.
The lanky dreadlocked midfielder then outjumped Ricketts to a poor clearance from inside the area, but his header landed just wide after 66 minutes.
The home team tried to hold possession, but their passing game was woeful and they frequently turned the ball over. They were given a breather in the 77th minute when defender Rodney Hines was shown the red card for a flagrant challenge on Karl Wiggan.
Granville had a glorious chance to steal a win at the death when top striker Jermaine Anderson latched onto a pass from Dushawn Woolry, but his half-volley flew into the side netting with three minutes to spare in regulation time.
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