St Kitts tell Soca Warriors: Time to battle

Trinidad and To-bago’s football match with St Kitts/Nevis at Warner Park,  from 8 pm today has been billed a historic affair by the hosts because they will be meeting for the first time in a World Cup qualifying match.  As such, a capacity 5,000 is expected at the venue and the “Sugar Boyz” as the team coached by Lenny Lake is fondly referred to, has spent the last few days with a sport psychologist getting themselves mentally prepared for the clash. Lake has gone through the paces with his team which includes Malaysian-based professionals Ian Lake and veteran striker Keith Gumbs, Canadian-based Darryl Gomez and former TT-based George “Yellows” Isaac. And President of the St Kitts FA, Peter Jenkins said that his organisation and the team have made  all preparations for the event.

So much so that sponsors such as Carib Beer and Courts, among others, have thrown their support behind the team which has also signed a kit deal with L-Sporto, formerly providers for the TTFF. Governor General of St Kitts/Nevis, Sir Cuthbert Sebastian, Prime Minister Denzil Douglas, Minister of Sport Jacynth Henry-Martin and Minister of Tourism Dwyer Astaphan have all pledged to wear replica T- shirts at the match supporting their side. An after match party will also be staged with live band Nu Vibes at the venue with the locals already anticipating a win But skipper Marvin Andrews and his experienced players won’t be overawed by all the hype as a chartered flight of TT fans including special adviser Jack Warner and members of the Angostura Woodbrook Playboyz Steel Orchestra will be arriving on the morning of the match.

“While it’s always an aim to come away with at least a point when you are away from home, we want full points from this match and we intend to go all out for it,” Andrews said following a training session yesterday morning. With St Clair running the team, technical director Lincoln Phillips is also here and has warned that it would be silly for the “Soca Warriors” to underestimate any opponent at this stage of the campaign. St Clair will no doubt hope for his fourth consecutive win of the campaign at which his team is yet to concede a goal with wins over Dominican Republic and St Vincent and the Grenadines.

TT eleven to come from: Clayton Ince (Crewe Alexandra), Kelvin Jack (Dundee) Stern John (Birmingham City), Marvin Andrews (Glasgow Rangers), Dennis Lawrence (Wrexham), Brent Sancho (Dundee), Arnold Dwarika (Guanzhou FC) , Errol McFarlane (Al Nejmeh), Stokely Mason (Jabloteh) Brent Rahim (Falkirk), Andre Boucaud (Peterborough), Kenwyne Jones (Southampton), Jason Scotland (Dundee), Cornell Glen (NY/New Jersey Metrostars),Densil Theobald (Arima/Morvant Fire), Marlon Rojas (Superstar Rangers), Silvio Spann (Vibe CT 105 W Connection) and Derek King (Joe Public).