Stokelyvale win Pepsi FA Cup

BIWATER Stokelyvale are the new holders of the Pepsi FA Cup in the Warner’s Group of Companies-sponsored Tobago Football Association.

The Vale got a “golden goal” from leading goal-getter Curtis “Ghost” Job to edge Georgia FC 2-1 at the Dwight Yorke Stadium, Bacolet, Tobago, on Tuesday night to lift the coveted silverware.   Both teams were guilty of lapses in front of goal in the early going until an Ellis St Hillaire corner kick in the 35th minute completely deceived Stokelyvale goalkeeper Wade Sandy, and dropped into the nets. Michael Carrington got the equaliser in the 40th minute when goalkeeper Ricardo Gregg allowed his tame shot to roll under his dive. The teams continued to trade attempts at goal with both sets of strikers firing either high or wide until the final whistle. But after 25 minutes of “sudden death” extra-time, Job was left unmarked inside the 18-yard area, and he took full advantage, smashing a right-footed shot high into the Georgia net for the winner, and a Carnival-like celebration among the Plymouth lads supporters.

The Vale will receive the Pepsi Cup and a $10,000 prize cheque for their victory, while runners-up Georgia get $3,000. Earlier at the same venue, St Clair’s Coaching School suffered their first defeat of the season when they went down 1-0 to 1976 FC Phoenix XS  in the third-place play-off. Brent Cruickshank whipped in what turned out to be the winning goal in the 67th minute to give last year’s holders Phoenix the consolation prize of $1,000 this time around. Now Stokelyvale will go forward to represent the TFA in this year’s national FA Trophy series later in the season.