Duncan braces lifts Signal Hill to controversial win over Naps

Ackim Duncan netted a late second-half brace to lead Signal Hill Secondary School to a come-from-behind 2-1 controversial win over defending champions Naparima College in their Round Three clash of the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Boys’ Premier Division at the Bertille St Clair Ground, Signal Hill, yesterday.

Naparima, coming off a 7-0 hammering of Trinity College Moka to kick off the defence of their title on Wednesday last, dominated the first half and led 1-0 thanks to a shot from Aaron Raymond which deflected off of a Signal Hill defender, Kisean Grant, and wrong-footed his own goalkeeper, Kaleb Romeo.

However, in the 72nd minute, Signal Hill was awarded a soft free kick by referee Keon Yorke at the top of the 18-yard box, which Duncan smartly slotted under the jumping seven-man wall to the left of the goalkeeper Romeo to level the score at 1-1.

Singnal Hill then came close to taking the lead before they were awarded a dubious penalty kick by the referee for a ball that came off a Naparima defender head, which Duncan again fired home.

To add to their woes, Naparima was forced to finish the match with ten men after striker Donovan Drayton was issued a straight red card in the 88th minute for dissent, after which his team failed to salvage the draw and fell to their first defeat, which Signal Hill secured a second straight after losing their opener 2-1 to fellow Tobagonians, Speyside High School.

Up at the Phase II Recreation Ground in La Horquetta, Arima North Secondary got hat-tricks from Michael John (15th, 48th, 69th) and Dimitrie Jones (45+3, 55th, 90+5) in their 8-0 thrashing of Speyside High School in their top-of-the-table clash.

There was also a goal each for Melick Adams in the eighth minute and Jediah David in the 50th for Arima North Secondary to register their third win from as many outings to go top of the table with a maximum of nine points, the same as St Mary’s College, while promoted Speyside High slipped to third with the heavy defeat.

Down at St Mary’s College Ground, Serpentine Road, St Clair, the ‘St Mary’s College’ won the ‘Battle of the Saints’ 3-0 over struggling St Anthony’s College with a goal each from Jaylon Manswell, Jaylon Roberts, and Jaedon Thomas.

Not too far away at Fatima College Ground, Mucurapo, promoted Hillview College continued their dream start to their debut campaign with a stunning 6-3 whipping of Fatima College.

Cristiano Hinds led the way for Hillview with goals in the 39th and 43rd minutes, while the quartet of Hezikiah Charles (fifth), Aaden Jones (ninth), Ky’mani Prieto (21st) and Jaylen Hinds (63rd) added one each for the easterners in the see-saw battle, with Fatima College getting a second hat-trick of the season from Jahiem Bailey (12th, 68th, and 82nd pen) in the loss.

In other matches, former champions St Benedict’s College got a 90th-minute strike from Samuel Balfour to edge Malick Secondary 1-0 at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Training Field, Mucurapo; Presentation (San Fernando) got a goal each from Tyrese Harding and Aiden Sinanan-Mc Donald in a 2-0 blanking of host Trinity College East 0 at Trinity East Ground in Trincity; and Trinity College Moka got two goals from Stephan Seales (third, 79th) to whip host San Juan North Secondary 4-1 and

Queen’s Royal College and Mucurapo West Secondary drew 1-1.

Yesterday’s Results

Hillview College 6 Cristiano Hinds 39th, 43rd, Hezikih Charles 5th, Aaden Jones 9th, Ky’mani Prieto 21st, Jaylen Hinds 63rd) vs Fatima College 3 (Jahiem Bailey 12th, 68th, 82nd pen)

St Benedict’s College 1 (Samuel Balfour 90th) vs Malick Secondary 0

Queen’s Royal College 1 (Jahseem Pierre 29th) vs Mucurapo West Sec 1 (Josiah Oliver 67th)

Arima North Sec 8 Michael John 15th, 48th, 69th, Dimitrie Jones 45+3, 55th, 90+5, Melick Adams 8th, Jediah David 50th) vs Speyside High 0

Signal Hill Sec 2 (Ackim Duncan 72nd, 81st) vs Naparima College 1 (Kisean Grant 35th o.g)

St Mary’s College 3 (Jaylon Manswell, Jaylon Roberts, Jaedon Thomas) vs St Anthony’s College 0

Trinity College 4 (Stephan Seales 3rd, 79th, Malachi Roach 31st, Andre Constantine 41st) vs San Juan North Sec 1 (Gabriel Britto 15th)

Presentation (San F’do) 2 (Tyrese Harding, Aiden Sinanan-Mc Donald) vs Trinity College East 0

St Augustine Secondary – bye

Latest Standing

Teams P W D L GF GA GD PTS

1. Arima North Sec 3 3 0 0 15 3 12 9

2. St. Mary’s College 3 3 0 0 7 0 7 9

3. Speyside Secondary 4 2 1 1 5 9 -4 7

4. Hillview College 3 2 0 1 14 9 5 6

5. St Benedict’s College 3 2 0 1 6 1 5 6

6. Fatima College 3 1 1 1 9 9 0 4

7.. Presentation College 3 1 1 1 4 5 -1 4

8 Signal Hill Secondary 3 2 0 1 6 3 3 6

9. Naparima 2 1 0 1 8 2 6 3

10. Malick Secondary 3 1 0 2 7 7 0 3

11. San Juan North 3 1 0 2 3 6 -3 3

12. Trinity College East 3 1 0 2 4 9 -5 3

13. Trinity College 3 1 0 2 4 13 -9 3

14. Queen’s Royal College 3 0 2 1 1 2 -1 2

15. Mucurapo West Sec 3 0 2 1 3 6 -3 2

16. St Augustine Secondary 2 0 1 1 2 5 -3 1

17. St Anthony’s 3 0 0 3 2 11 -9 0