Sport

Gleaner topple Carib Cement in D1 final

By ORVILLE CLARKE, Freelance Writer

Captain of The Gleaner football team, Paul Smith (left), is presented with the trophy for winning the Kingston and St. Andrew Football Association (KSAFA) Business House Division One championship by the association's president, Lorna Franklin, after the final at the Cable and Wireless Sports Club, Chalmers Avenue, yesterday. The Gleaner beat last year's winners Carib Cement Company 2-1. Looking on is KSAFA Business House executive, Wayne Shaw. - Junior Dowie

THE GLEANER, THANKS to goals from Bernard Blackwood and Fabian Nethersole in either half, defeated the previously unbeaten Carib Cement 2-1 to win the 2004 KSAFA Division I football title at the Cable & Wireless Sports Club, Chalmers Avenue yesterday.

The Gleaner's captain Paul Smith said it was a good team effort.

"We lost to them earlier in the season but at that stage we had already qualified and we played with 10 men for most of the match as well. I knew we would not have been beaten today... The Gleaner has never lost a business house final," he declared.

Winning coach Michael 'Jah Mikes' Williams, who also guided The Gleaner to the Division II title last year, attributed the victory to the fact they stuck to the game plan.

"We hit them on the counter attack time and time again and this made the difference. It was a very disciplined approach and I would really like to commend senior players Paul Smith, Rudolph Speid and George Stephenson, who held up well in defence."

Losing coach Paul Laidley conceded: "The Gleaner wanted it more than us on the day. They were beating us to all of the first balls. We had a perfect season up to this match, but it's all about coverting goals."

In what turned out to be a very physical game, The Gleaner drew first blood shortly after the opening whistle when Blackwood headed past goalkeeper Wayne Bennett. The goal, coming in only the second minute of play, resulted from a short corner taken by the speedy winger Andrew Gill on the left flank. The ball found Ricardo Burke, who relayed it back to Gill, whose cross found the waiting head of Blackwood inside the 18-yard box.

Although The Gleaner had the better of the early exchanges through Blackwood, Gill, Pickett, Clint Reid and Constant Spring Premier League player Nethersole, Carib Cement soon came into their own.

With top players Conrad Hunt, Ayunga Barrett, Shawn Freckleton, Raphael Bellinfante and Iingi Lowe (Onandi's brother) stringing their passes together, they forced a number of corners midway the first half but despite this, failed to capitalise.

Cement Company eventually found the equaliser in the 43rd minute when Dwayne Morgan was brought down by central defender Rudolph Speid just outside the 18-yard box. The goal, a tremendous free kick from Freckleton 25 metres out, exploded into the far corner past the diving hands of Andrew Sewell in goal.

In the second half, The Gleaner looked the more purposeful team and came close to scoring on three occasions. Best of these chances came in the 41st minute when Clint Reid, with only the 'keeper to beat, missed from close range. Shortly after Cement Company scored Nethersole kicked high when sent clear by outside left Dwayne Thompson inside the box.

Nethersole, however, made amends when finding the winner. The dimunitive striker, who was the victim of some rough tackles, latched on to a pass from Thompson inside the 18-yard box and tapped past Bennett in goal.