Jamaicans outclass TT schoolboy footballers

Goals by Andre Fagon in the seventh, captain Keamar Daley’s penalty in the 43rd and Craig Hunter’s header in the 90th propelled the local boys to their convincing victory.

The dangerous Lester Peltier held off two defenders before rifling a low shot past diving O’Neil Wilson in goal in the 20th minute to briefly give his team some parity.

The All-daCosta Cup team will now have a two-goal advantage going into today’s second-leg match at Brancourt, Clarendon starting at 3 pm.

Selris Figaro, coach of the Trinidad and Tobago schoolboys had no doubts about which team was the best.

"You all outplayed us, totally," said Figaro. "You were faster to the ball and more aggressive. Our players were messing around and making mistakes.

"This Jamaican team was making no mistakes. We’ll have to bounce and recover for the next game," he said. The All-Manning team, decked out in black shorts and yellow and black tops, started the match with six players from champions Calabar. The local boys got off to a fast start when in the seventh minute Norman Manley striker Fagon collected a ball in the box and fired past the diving Leston Shade in goal.

But TT fought back through the speedy and dangerous Lester Peltier, Akil DeFreitas, Elton John and Elijah Mannors.

In the 20th minute, Peltier won a ball from Norman Bailey in midfield and held off two defenders before placing his shot wide of Wilson.

But two minutes before the break, the All-Manning team forged ahead from the penalty spot as captain Daley easily converted.

The expected unlimited changes came in the second half as the prolific Jermaine Allen, Craig Hunter, Wayne Walker and Kenardo Forbes entered the fray. And with time running out, it was the combination of Forbes and Hunter that got All-Manning their third goal. Forbes, out of Bridgeport High, sped down the right flank and crossed perfectly to Hunter who could not miss with his header from close range.