Arima capture East InterCol crown

AN INSPIRED second-half performance gave Arima a 2-1 win over St Augustine and the East Zone RBTT InterCol crown in yesterday’s final at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar, Arima.

Goals by substitute Jevon Crichlow in the 51st and Dorian Daniel five minutes later were enough for the “Dial Dynamos” to record their third successive win over the “Green Machine” this season. But the match did not start off well for the Dynamos, as they conceded a goal within the first three minutes of play. Defender Kevin McCollin worked his way through the middle and, under no pressure from the Arima defenders, played a one-two with striker Shane Calderon before shooting past goalkeeper Ryan Ajim. Calderon, clearly a player for the future, troubled the Arima defence with a series of moves but his strike partner Lorenzo King had a miserable afternoon. In the 35th an unmarked King sent his header wide off the mark from a Josimar John corner while, nine minutes later, he powered his right footer wide from a Marcus Ambrose left-side centre.

Arima seemed a reborn and re-focused team in the second half, with Keston Henry, outside the 18-yard box, shooting wide from a lay-off from Gorean “Mickey Rat” Highley in the 48th. And the equaliser came three minutes later — a Highley corner on the right was headed by Christopher James and, with the defence struggling to clear, Crichlow collected the loose ball and drilled his left-footer past goalie and captain Devon Charles. Charles, who had a torrid time in goal, was beaten again, this time by Daniel in the 56th, after Highley disposed McCollin on the left and squared the ball to his unmarked teammate. Henry could have made it 3-1 in the 59th, but his shot, after a feed from Daniel, was tipped overbar while, at the other end, King profited from a missed clearance by Arima’s stopper Jesse Martinez in the 62nd but sent his chip wide.

Arima’s winger Kitwana Abosi dribbled past Justin John-Baptiste on the left before sending his left footer off-target in the 84th but his team held out until the end, their second title for the season, following their British Gas Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) East Zone trophy. The national InterCol series begin tomorrow with 2001 and 2002 runners-up Naparima opposing the “Green Machine” at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella at 4 pm while the winner will meet the “Dynamos” next Tuesday.