St. Elizabeth Technical High School (Steths) dismantled the much vaunted Garvey Maceo 3-1 at Steths on Saturday to continue their relentless march into the Dacosta Cup Final. When the referee blew his whistle for the start of the game before a packed ground, it was evident that Garvey Maceo had stepped into the lions' den. Steths was kicking toward the pavillion.
Steths was quick off the mark. They were aggressive and clinical in their tackles. Their first touch of the ball had the crowd shouting 'Steths, Steths'. The Garvey Maceo supporters tried to respond but, it was like a lone voice in the Azteca. Steths continued piling on the pressure and in the 12th minute the Maceo defence cracked and gave away a corner. Up stepped "Kingfish" Farquharson to propel the resulting corner into the Maceo penalty box. The ball sailed over the heads of the defence and found the lanky Steths central defender, Dravion Williams coming in from the edge of the penalty box. He rose majestically, and as if to acknowledge the cross, nodded it into the Garvey Maceo net. It was pandemonium. As the decibel level rose, you would think it was an earth quake. The normally cool and collected Carvil Gunter could not resist a shout of 'gooooaaaalll'.
The half continued with the Steths forwards mesmerising the Maceo defence but missing two good chances. In the meantime Garvey Maceo's few trecks goalwards were well handled by the steady Steths defence. It is impossible to keep a marauding lion at bay. In minute # 45, the lion, Deshorn Brown collected a ball Twenty metres outside Garvey Maceo's 18 yard box. He left two defenders for dead, wrong footed another and calmly slipped the ball between the advancing keeper's legs (salad) into the back of the net. Steths 2 Garvey Maceo 0.
The half ended to the massive cheers of 'final, final, final'. At the half, Wendell Downswell along with Andrew Edwards gave further instructions to their charges.
When the game resumed for the second half, Steths relaxed and Garvey Maceo started to advance. Once again it was Deshorn Brown who kept the enemies in their trenches. He continued his advance like an invading force and in minute number 59, he scored the goal of the season. Some say, 'not since the likes of Noel "Sweetie" Smith have we seen a goal like this'. He collected a neat pass from the midfield, beat two defenders, moved to his left and dismissed two more. He then shifted to his right and as the goalkeeper advanced, like a ballet dancer practising a pirouette, he lifted the ball into the back of the net. The cheers were heard around the parish and certainly must have been felt in Clarendon. Steths 3 Garvey Maceo 0. Surely Stehs have "killed" two Clarendon teams in quick succession.
The coaching staff made two strategic changes and the pressure was somewhat eased on Garvey Maceo. As a result, they pulled one back in the 83rd minute. They continued to pressure as Steths lost a defender, Eugene Wright to two yellow cards. With the final in sight, the Steths defenders repelled every attack. When the final whistle came, there was jubilation all round. The Steths supporters rushed onto the field to savour the moment made sweeter by the presence of our two Olympians, Bridgitt Foster-Hylton and Sherica Williams.
Steths will play Manchester in the final next Saturday at Steths. Manchester got by defending champions St. James High in a penalty shoot out. Words are out that Manchester are not comfortable doing a Daniel and may seek audience with ISSA. Until that time, prepare to come back home for the second reunion of the year.
Steths was quick off the mark. They were aggressive and clinical in their tackles. Their first touch of the ball had the crowd shouting 'Steths, Steths'. The Garvey Maceo supporters tried to respond but, it was like a lone voice in the Azteca. Steths continued piling on the pressure and in the 12th minute the Maceo defence cracked and gave away a corner. Up stepped "Kingfish" Farquharson to propel the resulting corner into the Maceo penalty box. The ball sailed over the heads of the defence and found the lanky Steths central defender, Dravion Williams coming in from the edge of the penalty box. He rose majestically, and as if to acknowledge the cross, nodded it into the Garvey Maceo net. It was pandemonium. As the decibel level rose, you would think it was an earth quake. The normally cool and collected Carvil Gunter could not resist a shout of 'gooooaaaalll'.
The half continued with the Steths forwards mesmerising the Maceo defence but missing two good chances. In the meantime Garvey Maceo's few trecks goalwards were well handled by the steady Steths defence. It is impossible to keep a marauding lion at bay. In minute # 45, the lion, Deshorn Brown collected a ball Twenty metres outside Garvey Maceo's 18 yard box. He left two defenders for dead, wrong footed another and calmly slipped the ball between the advancing keeper's legs (salad) into the back of the net. Steths 2 Garvey Maceo 0.
The half ended to the massive cheers of 'final, final, final'. At the half, Wendell Downswell along with Andrew Edwards gave further instructions to their charges.
When the game resumed for the second half, Steths relaxed and Garvey Maceo started to advance. Once again it was Deshorn Brown who kept the enemies in their trenches. He continued his advance like an invading force and in minute number 59, he scored the goal of the season. Some say, 'not since the likes of Noel "Sweetie" Smith have we seen a goal like this'. He collected a neat pass from the midfield, beat two defenders, moved to his left and dismissed two more. He then shifted to his right and as the goalkeeper advanced, like a ballet dancer practising a pirouette, he lifted the ball into the back of the net. The cheers were heard around the parish and certainly must have been felt in Clarendon. Steths 3 Garvey Maceo 0. Surely Stehs have "killed" two Clarendon teams in quick succession.
The coaching staff made two strategic changes and the pressure was somewhat eased on Garvey Maceo. As a result, they pulled one back in the 83rd minute. They continued to pressure as Steths lost a defender, Eugene Wright to two yellow cards. With the final in sight, the Steths defenders repelled every attack. When the final whistle came, there was jubilation all round. The Steths supporters rushed onto the field to savour the moment made sweeter by the presence of our two Olympians, Bridgitt Foster-Hylton and Sherica Williams.
Steths will play Manchester in the final next Saturday at Steths. Manchester got by defending champions St. James High in a penalty shoot out. Words are out that Manchester are not comfortable doing a Daniel and may seek audience with ISSA. Until that time, prepare to come back home for the second reunion of the year.
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