Fans were treated to a tense and competitive Game 1 of the SKNFA Premier League Finals on Saturday night at the Warner Park, as S.L. Horsfords St. Paul’s drew first blood against regular-season league winners Rams Village Superstars 2-0.
Scoring for S.L. HORSFORDS ST. PAUL’S Keithroy Freeman 70th min Anthony Caines 84th min.
Both teams went into half time 0-0 with Village having the better of the first 15 minutes but failed to score due in part to the heroics of goalkeeper Jamal Jeffers.
They came out gunning for a goal in the second half, but it was St. Paul’s who broke through with once again Keithroy Freeman. Anthony Caines was Man of the Match. The match was broadcast live on the SKNFA website. St. Paul’s Coach Iroy Cunga Jeffers said it was a change in approach in the second half that delivered the win. “Was a well-fought game, especially the first the first half, which was well tight, so we know we had to make the adjustments,” he said.
These adjustments he said, involved replacing some players at the end of the half and replacing them with other players to bring about the necessary tweaking. The evidence was seen with Anthony Caines scoring the second and decisive goal to win the match. “(Caines) back to back goals; super sub; that’s the most important thing we want—a man coming off the bench and giving us something that we want,” Coach Jeffers said.
He also praised his talisman Keithroy Freeman. “The man is just a genius right now. The man is on top and you have to give him his praise,” he said. Coach Stephen Clarke of Village was peeved in the manner in which the first goal scored as he felt his goalkeeper was fouled in the build-up to that goal. However, he said his team will regroup for Game 2.
“We just have to regroup and come again,” he said. Game 2 is on Wednesday night at 7 pm at Warner Park. Village can force a game 3 with a victory, but should St. Paul’s secure another victory—they will be lifting the premier league championship trophy