Tigers chase third North title

THE North zonal RBTT Intercol title will be at stake when defending champs, the “Westmoorings Tigers” of St Anthony’s oppose QRC in today’s final at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucura-po, from 4 pm.

Both teams met each other twice during the British Gas Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) North Zone Championships, with the Tigers prevailing 2-0 on opening night September 4, while the Roya-lians snatched a 1-0 victory 21 days later. Strikers Keon Trim and Christopher Sam, who scored the goals for the Tigers in their first meeting, were debarred from playing for the rest of the season after a breach of SSFL rules (regarding re-entry into a school). But the Tigers, under long-standing coach Nigel Groves-nor, have not let that setback affect their play, as they have successfully defended their North Zone and Big 5 titles.

Julius James, the only surviving member of Team 2001 in the league and a present member of the national Under-23 team, is the captain for the second straight year, and will have in support strikers Kevon Neaves and Abiola Sandy, defenders Yohance Marshall and Marcelle Francois as well as fellow midfielders Troy Thompson, Christian Cabral and Clevon George. The Royalians do not possess the amount of talent as the Tigers but, under coach Nevick Denoon and captain Thorne Holder, have a squad that relies heavily on the counter-attack, especially the speed of strikers Simba Aberdeen and Aldo Hope. Other key players in the Royalians squad are midfielders Radanfah Abu Bakr (son of Jamaat Al Muslimeen leader Yasin Abu Bakr), Michael Awai and Jason Devonish.