by EZRA STUART
FOR FLYING IN the face of local football’s top two teams, St John Sonnets and Deacons got a good old-fashioned whipping on Thursday night at the National Stadium.
Mackeson Brittons Hill and Claytons Kola Tonic Notre Dame flexed their muscles, blanking Sonnets and Deacons 6-0 and 5-0, respectively, in their semi-final matches, to set a showdown in Sunday’s final of the Guinness Super Eight.
Edwin “Ratty” Brereton’s fourth minute opening goal was followed by a Walton Burrowes hat-trick in the 11th, 18th, and 73rd minutes against a Sonnets side, without the inspirational Jefferson “Butler’ White.
Gregory “Lalu” Goodridge (84th) and goalkeeper-cum striker Wayne “Trini” Williams (90th) sealed the lopsided encounter for Brittons Hill with late goals.
After a few missed chances, another goal feast followed as the men were separated from the boys.
Maradona Lavine’s fine work down the left flank perfect ball across the goalmouth was wasted when Ricky Barnes hit his shot onto the crossbar and Kyle Gibson volleyed the rebound over the bars.
And at the other end, an elementary error by Philip King allowed Kadeem “Buju” Atkins to break free and advance in to the penalty area. But incredibly, he opted not to shoot with only goalkeeper Morrison Taylor to beat and actually passed the ball for a goal-kick while trying to find an advancing teammate.
After that, the Dames duly took the lead after 24 minutes with John “Nobby” Parris heading home Bryan Neblett’s inswinging corner.
Barnes made amends in the 41st minute but injured his right foot as he took the shot within a minute of the second half, Parris scored the goal of the night, hammering a one-time volley from Lavine’s cross past hapless Deacons goalkeeper Omar Grecia.
Gibson eventually got on the score sheet in 62nd minute after a few more missed chances before substitute Zico Edmee ran on to a through ball to complete the rout in the 85th minute.
In between, Giancarlo Cobham was denied what would’ve been one of the best goals of the tournament when his laser-like 35-metre shot grazed the crossbar as Grecia just got his fingers to tip it away for a corner.
