Christ Church West stamped their ticket to the knockout round with resounding authority by hammering St Peter 4-1 in the final night of preliminary matches in the David Thompson Memorial Constituency Councils Football Classic at Briar Hall on Monday night.
A Nicholas Jones brace, coupled with strikes from Chai Lloyd and Zidigah Samuel ensured Christ Church West’s passage to the round of 16 by the slimmest of margins, as they just edged out St George North on goal difference, despite St Peter registering a late consolation from the penalty spot, via Renaldo Farley.
In the later game, Christ Church West Central clinched a thrilling south coast derby in which either side could have qualified, after they overcame Christ Church South 3-2 to advance second in their zone.
Goals from Mario Farrell, Andre Daniel and Jelani Keizer, cancelled out strikes from Armando “Suga” Lashley and Darian Croney for Christ Church South, who missed out on qualification through defeat.
Christ Church West came into the encounter knowing that a big win would guarantee qualification and expectedly began much the better side. Their early intensity visibly rattled a tentative St Peter side and just six minutes into the first half, the Christ Church side took the lead.
A lovely through ball from Zidigah Samuel released Rommell Bynoe down the right, who raced onto the leading pass before fizzing a low delivery into the penalty area. The drilled pass managed to evade everyone except Jones, whose well timed run allowed him to bundle home at the back post and establish an important early lead for his side.
St Peter, who but for a brilliant double save by Christ Church West custodian Dwayne Williams, would have hauled themselves level just moments before, were left to rue their chances as Christ Church West doubled their advantage five minutes before the break.
A prolonged spell of possession seemed to calm the home side before a quick pass was played into the feet of Lloyd in the final third. The attacker then rolled his marker nicely en route to the area, before producing a deft finish into the bottom corner, to add a bit of a cushion in the 40th minute.
Consistent pressure from Christ Church West following the break, saw them monopolise possession, subsequently launching wave after wave of attack on the St Peter defence before finding another opening.
A leading ball played to match another darting run from Jones was partially cut out by a defender, but not enough to prevent the winger being slid in on goal. Once through, the wide man again kept his cool, this time producing a wonderfully controlled finish with his weaker right foot into the bottom corner to make it 3-0 in the 65th minute.
It was soon 4-0 as Christ Church West continued to press, this time scything through St Peter down the right. Akeem Hill skipped past a marker nicely before making his way to the byline and whipping a cross back across the face of goal. The influential Samuel was then on hand to produce a wonderfully controlled finish, sweeping home emphatically with his right to compound St Peter’s misery.
To their credit though, St Peter managed to find a consolation late on, after some determined play led to a penalty in the dying moments. A brazen run from Zario Prescod down the right saw him motor past two markers and into the penalty box, before being brought down by a retreating defender. Renaldo Farley took responsibility of the resulting spot kick and calmly converted low to Williams’ left in order to belatedly pull one back for his side. (ML)