Sparta Boss stays alive

Tiger Bay sealed its berth in the semi-final, humbling Melanie by a 4-0 score line when the quarter-final round of the Mackeson ‘Keep Your Five Alive’ commenced at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall Tarmac on Saturday.

Dennis Caldeira opened the scoring for the winners in the very first minute of play through a simple tap-in down the centre of the goal from the right side of the field, after latching onto a deflected Rensford Coleridge left side cross.

He would quickly make it 2-0 three minutes later, lashing his left footed effort into the back of the net from the centre of the field.

Solomon Austin would then add his name to the scorer’s sheet in the 10th minute, slotting home his effort into the left hand corner, following a two-on-one situation with the final defender.

The score line would be completed in the 18th minute through a Jamal Blackman solo run and finish to the left hand corner, from the centre of the field.

Defending champions Sparta Boss kept their hopes alive of a successful title defence, edging Texas 7-6 on sudden death kicks after normal and extra time was unable to find a winner with the scores locked at 0-0.

Sheldon Shepherd of Sparta Boss in the process of making a pass while being pursued by Kacy John of Texas
Sheldon Shepherd of Sparta Boss in the process of making a pass while being pursued by Kacy John of Texas

Sheldon Shepherd almost opened the scoring for Sparta in the third minute as he rattled the right upright with a powerful attempt from the right side of the park.

Dennis Edwards would then be denied by the woodwork as his right footed effort from just outside the area, came cannoning off the left upright following a goal mouth scramble in the seventh minute.

The woodwork would continue to deny the defending champs the opening goal as Shepherd once again thumped his right footed effort onto the left upright in the 10th minute, after cutting in from the left side of the field.

Fortune would continue to evade the East La Penitence outfit as Edwards rattled the left post from the centre of the field in the 13th minute with a right footed strike.

Under pressure for the majority of the matchup, Texas almost stole the lead six minutes later through a Kacy John right footed strike from the centre of the field, which came bouncing off the right upright.

With normal time and a further six minutes of extra time unable to settle the outcome, penalty kicks was required to find a winner. The opening round of penalty kicks would fail to provide a victor as both sides netted all of their allotted kicks to leave the scores tied at 3-3.

Both sides would then begin to exchange the lead as the matchup moved into the realm of sudden death penalty kicks.

With the scores locked at 6-6, Texas would unfortunately succumb to the pressure as they missed from the distance. Needing a conversion from the distance to seal the win, Devon Millington would calmly place his effort into the net to spark the celebrations amongst the crowd.

In the third fixture, West Front Road edged arch-rivals Albouystown-A 3-2 on sudden death kicks after normal and extra time failed to produce a winner following a 0-0 score line.

Andrew Murray Jr. almost pushed Albouystown-A into the early lead in the fourth minute, smashing his effort over the crossbar from just outside the centre of the penalty area following a left sided cross.

Randolph Wagner almost broke the deadlock for the West Front Road unit in the eighth minute as he was denied desperately by the outstretched leg of the final defender, after being in a one-on-one situation. The woodwork would then come to the rescue of West Front Road in the 13th minute as a Murray Jr. right footed effort from the left side of the park, came crashing off the left upright.

Hubert Pedro almost grabbed the extra time opener for West Front Road in the 23rd minute, only to be denied by the legs of the final defender.

Sparta Boss’s Devon Millington challenging Kenroy Demonick of Texas for possession of the ball during their side’s matchup.
Sparta Boss’s Devon Millington challenging Kenroy Demonick of Texas for possession of the ball during their side’s matchup.

Albouystown-A would then gain a numerical advantage as Wagner was sent off for showing dissent towards the official in the 26th minute of play. However Albouystown would fail to capitalise on this advantage as the fixture moved onto the penalty shoot-out.

West Front Road would then get off to the worst possible start in the shoot-out as they missed their opening kick, allowing Albouystown to take a 1-0 lead as they netted their opener after beginning the shoot-out.

It would then become 2-1 in Albouystown’s favour as both sides netted their second spot-kick. Needing a conversion to claim the win, Albouystown’s Devon Dooker would see his effort deflect off the post, handing the West Front Road side the much needed lifeline.

Daren Benjamin would then capitalise on Albouystown’s failure to seal the win, forcing the matchup into sudden death kicks with a calm conversion. It would then go from bad to worse for Albouystown as Murray Jr. missed his spot-kick.

With the tables reversed, Jamal Pedro would then clinically seal the win for West Front Road with a left footed strike down the centre of the net.

The opening fixture of the evening saw Alexander Village defeating North East La Penitence 1-0 on penalty kicks after normal and extra time finished with the scores locked at 0-0. Prior to the commencement of the matches, an exhibition matchup saw the Media crushing Qualfon 4-1.

First half goals from Mark Younge, Okeshi Croker, Duncan Saul and Esan Griffith led the way for the winners.