Seaton’s goal gives Jabloteh FCB Cup

OTIS SEATON made sure that CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh would extend their unbeaten run in the 2003 local football season to 15 matches. His goal, in the fourth minute of sudden death extra-time on Wednesday night, gave Jabloteh victory over W Connection in a nerve-wracking final — after both teams played to a 1-1 fulltime result — of the First Citizens Bank (FCB) Cup at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella.

The game was filled with both tension and controversy in front of a crowd numbering 4,000 before the 26-year-old Seaton, sent through by substitute striker Devon Mitchell, wrong-footed stopper Rawle Fletcher before slamming his left footer past the reach of Connection goalkeeper Alejandro Figueroa. That goal was a deserved reward for the temperamental Seaton, also known as Aurtis Whitley, who was the only player who showed any enterprise for Jabloteh who, playing with their backs to the wall, were surprisingly tentative for most of the game. Connection dominated the first half but their strikers Earl Jean and Kendall Davis, were thwarted by a series of point-blank saves from Jabloteh captain Kelvin Jack. A 13th minute move between Lyndon “Chubby” Andrews and Ronaldo Viana on the right flank saw Viana sending a cross to Gefferson Goulart whose header was held by Jack. Three minutes afterwards, a one-two between Jose Luiz Seabra and Goulart was followed by a pass from Andrews to Davis, who saw his shot deflected wide by Jack. Davis, from a feed by Jean, squeezed between Jabloteh defenders Nigel Daniel and Ronald Primus but had his shot tipped wide by the muscular Jack in the 24th while, three minutes later, Goulart sent Davis clear, past Ian Gray, but Jack blocked Davis’ meek attempt.

In the 52nd, and against the run of play, Jabloteh got the ball to the back of the net. But Kerry Baptiste’s header, from a right-side centre from Josh Johnson, was ruled offside by assistant referee Solomon Brewster. Referee Richard Piper, back from his stint at the recent CONCACAF Gold Cup, drew the ire of the Jabloteh players in the 56th. After Cyd Gray brought down Andrews, who was seemingly offside on a one-and-one, Jack was cautioned for dissent when he vented his fury at linesman Haseem McLean. And, after an agonising wait, Viana delicately placed his freekick past Jack. The Connection squad would later get the wrong end of the stick six minutes later, when a left-side corner from Cornell Glen was found by striker Kerry Noray whose header was parried by Goulart. But Goulart was behind the goalline and the ball apparently hit the net but the controversial Piper, while lawfully awarding the goal to Jabloteh, gave Goulart marching orders, which was his second bookable offence. With the one-man advantage, Jabloteh failed to get the go-ahead goal in the remaining 28 minutes, as Connection retreated into a defensive mode. But Seaton’s vision and speed paid dividends when they needed most.

Teams:
SAN JUAN JABLOTEH: Kelvin Jack (capt); Ian Gray, Ronald Primus, Cyd Gray (Ansil Elcock 78th), Nigel Daniel; Trent Noel, Kerry Baptiste, Josh Johnson, Otis Seaton; Cornell Glen (Devon Mitchell 75th), Kerry Noray.
WE CONNECTION: Alejandro Figueroa; Reynold Carrington (capt), Rawle Fletcher, Kenwyne Jones, Jose Luiz Seabra; Elijah Joseph, Lyndon Andrews (Stokely Mason 73rd), Gefferson Goulart, Ronaldo Viana; Earl Jean, Kendall Davis (Titus Elva 67th).