‘Tigers’ back as Intercol champs

DISREGARDING a pitch invasion, frequent bottle throwing  incidents and a tough Arima — the “Dial Dynamos” outfit — the “Westmoorings Tigers” St Anthony’s retained their RBTT National Intercol crown with a 3-2 triumph at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, yesterday.

The “Tigers” went ahead after only 33 seconds. Catching the Arimians off-guard, an Abiola Sandy through pass to Christian Cabral on the right was centred to striker Dwight Critchlow in the middle. The Arima defence failed to clear the ball leaving Troy Thompson the simple task of rifling his shot into an open net. But the visitors showed true grit and determination thereafter, with star striker Gorean Highley forcing goalkeeper Kegan Davidson to parry a left-footed blast in the 8th. And Davidson was called into action twice in the space of a minute, parrying a Jevon Chrichlow drive in the 38th and blocking a Jammiel Smith free-kick seconds later. Smith also sent  a 20-metre shot overbar in the 44th, but Highley came to the rescue of Arima 10  minutes later. A (J) Chrichlow  long ball found Highley who eluded his marker Marcelle Francois and shot under the diving Davidson to knot up  the scores.

The crowd went into a frenzy and the security was powerless to stop the pitch invasion which followed. Devon King sent a right footer inches wide in the 61st and, three minutes afterwards, Tigers captain Julius James waited too long with his attempt, unmarked in the box, his eventual shot being blocked by Arima keeper Ryan Ajim. But the Tigers roared back, and got the go-ahead goal in the 74th. Kevon Neaves sent a left-footed centre which Ajim punched straight into the path of  Critchlow (D) who was on hand to smash the rebound home.

Sandy, after sending a long range drive wide in the 78th, got what turned out to be the winner in the 79th. Collecting a Thompson pass, his deflected shot caught Ajim unawares and trickled in off a post. Arima were a beaten team after that, although Highley, after being denied by Davidson in the 85th, netted his second in the 86th from a feed by King. Earlier, Malick also successfully defended their RBTT Trinidad Intercol title with  a 2-0 victory over Diego Martin. Asha Gibbons scored both goals, the first in the 35th and the other after 52 minutes, to give the champs a chance to play Signal Hill for the national crown on December 2, at the Dwight Yorke Stadium, Bacolet, Tobago.

Teams:
ST ANTHONY’S - Kegan Davidson; Yohance Marshall, Marcelle Francois, Kareem Freitas, Julius James (capt); Clevon George (Kwesi Thomas 82nd), Christian Cabral (Akil De Freitas 58th), Troy Thompson, Kevon Neaves; Abiola Sandy, Dwight Critchlow.
ARIMA - Ryan Ajim; Jesse Martinez (capt), Christopher James, Keron George, Real Didier; Jammiel Smith (Ricardo Da Silva 83rd), Jevon Chrichlow (Kevon Smith 58th), Kitwana Abosi, Devon King; Dorian Daniel, Gorean Highley.