Fortified with extra firepower, the army’s football recruits seem ready to fire on all cylinders.
The BDF delivered a few warning shots in ousting six-time champions DirecTV Paradise from the KFC Knockout Cup Football Competition with a solid 2-0 victory in their rescheduled quarter-final at Gall Hill, St John, on Sunday night.
After an early miss by midfielder Raheim Sargeant, captain Mario Harte opened the scoring in the 21st minute with a rasping volley from a right-side cross which gave Paradise goalkeeper Jason Boxhill no chance to save.
He should have had a hat-trick before half-time, after some slick moves by Kadeem Atkins on the left flank, but each time Harte, who was a handful all night for Barry Skeete and Mark Cox, hit the resulting cross wide of the right far post.
BDF’s second goal in the 59th minute came from a brilliant build-up, with Atkins playing a ball down the left flank. The elusive Harte ran onto it and crossed into the area.
Jamal Chandler, instead of hitting a one-time shot, tried to control the ball and had his initial shot blocked but was lucky to get the rebound and made no mistake, hitting the ball away from Boxhill, into the far corner.
BDF, for all their dominance against a weary-looking Paradise side which made a solitary substitution in the first half, replacing the injured Kenny Sealy with Trevor “Taz” Mayers, should have added a couple more goals but Boxhill denied defender Zico Phillips, blocking a powerful header from a free-kick by Harte.
In the preceding Digicel Premier League match, dethroned champions Meridian Castrol Youth and KDJ Auto Parts Gatorade Dayrells Road played to a 2-2 draw.
Police cricketer Brian Corbin, dropped from the Elite team for the last series, showed his worth in soccer with a double strike in the 41st and 72nd minutes. Lindon Watson (26th) and Damien Parris (53rd) scored for Dayrells Road.
Meanwhile, the Division 2 and 3 championship play-offs continue at the National Stadium tonight.
