Champion teams usually rise to the occasion.
Claytons Kola Tonic Notre Dame did that on Sunday night, coming from behind to beat their long-standing St Michael rivals, ICE Wales 2-1 in the feature Digicel Premier League football clash.
After seeing early leaders Meridian Youth Milan stumbled 1-0 to Bagatelle in the evening opening match, the Dames lifted their game with a solid second half performance after trailing 1-0 at half-time.
Teenaged striker Kemar Headley gave the Wales the lead after 27 minutes, hitting a perfect square back from Paul “Soup” Lovell away from Dames’ goalkeeper Kareem Farrell into the far corner.
The Lavine brothers, Maradona and Donovan both wasted opportunities to equalize for the Dames after Carl Joseph and Rudy Grosvenor cut back the ball nicely for them. Maradona also hit wide when Wales’ goalkeeper Bentley Springer dropped the ball but they would eventually make amends.
After a snap shot from Wales’ returning striker Dwayne “Schillaci” Stanford sailed over the crossbar, Donovan grabbed the equalizer for the Dames in the 57th minute, hitting a firm shot from the right of the penalty box through the hands of goalkeeper Bentley Springer.
Maradona then earned the Dames a penalty in the 69th minute when he was brought down by Wales’ dreadlocked sweeper Julian Mottley.
Dames’ captain John “Nobby” Parris stepped forward and unlike last Sunday against Gall Hill when he blasted another penalty high over the bars, he forgot power and placed the ball into Springer’s corner.
The Wales had a couple half chances to share the spoils but Lovell was unable to keep down a header after Farrell missed a cross while Stanford had a shot blocked by the goalkeeper.
Aaron Leacock should’ve increased the Dames’ lead after he wasn’t flagged for off-side following an exchange with fellow substitute David Forde but Springer blocked his tame shot.
In the preceding match, St John Sonnets, already with six losses, logged their second win of the season by beating Springtingbet Pinelands 1-0, courtesy an 81st minute goal by Sheldon White.
Imron Ponteen was Bagatelle’s hero in their upset victory over the previously unbeaten Youth Milan, when his shot in the 11th minute, hit the right post and rebounded off the head of goalkeeper Adrian Chase into the back of the nets.
ezrastuart@nationnews.com
