‘Naps’ down Signal Hill in thriller
NAPARIMA College needed seven rounds of penalties before they could get the better of Signal Hill Senior Comprehensive 6-5 in a shoot-out after 110 minutes of football left the teams deadlocked at 1-1 in the semi-final of the British Gas Secondary Schools Football League’s "Big 5" tournament yesterday at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella. When Adisa Connel rocketed the final penalty into the roof of the goal it sparked wild celebrations off the "Naps" bench as it meant that they would be returning to the "Big 5" final for the second straight year. The southerners will meet San Juan Senior Comprehensive for the championship. Naparima would be hoping for a reversal of fortunes this time around as they were on the short end of a 3-1 result against St Augustine in last year’s final. Yesterday’s semi-final did not pick up pace until early into the second half when "Naps" stepped up the tempo and put pressure on the Signal Hill defence. After many near misses the southerners were finally rewarded in the 72nd minute when Shahdon Winchester latched onto a loose ball just outside the six-yard box to put Naparima ahead. That opening salvo woke up a noticeably flat Signal Hill offence and they immediately began to play with some purpose and got the equaliser six minutes later. Diego Nicholson, who was unexplainably left wide open in front of the Naparima goal, collected a pass and calmly slotted the ball past the right hand of goal-keeper Leston Shade. The remainder of the match produced some close calls but no goals before the referee blew the final whistle and sent the game into penalties, Connel guided his team into the final and sent the Tobagonians home to do some early preparations for the upcoming Royal Bank Intercol competition.
Comments
"‘Naps’ down Signal Hill in thriller"