George’s last-gasp goal propels Sir Leon Lessons to semis

A last gasp goal from David George propelled South Georgetown holders Sir Leon Lessons to a 3-2 quarterfinal win over Region Number seven’s D.C. Caesar Fox Secondary yesterday at the Bartica Community Centre ground.

With the score at 2-2 and conditions wet underfoot, the burly George silenced the partisan crowd as he netted in the 89th minute to seal his team’s place in the semi-final round.

It was a goal of the highest quality and came immediately after the equaliser by D.C. Caesar Fox Secondary.

George had evaded several challenges while racing into the centre of the box before blasting his right foot effort down the center of the net.

With the victory, the Georgetown unit sealed their berth to the final four section in the process handing D.C. Caesar Fox Secondary their first ever defeat.

Action between D.C. Cesar Fox Secondary and Sir Leon Lessons in their quarterfinal matchup at the Bartica Community ground in the Digicel Schools Football Championship yesterday. (Orlando Charles photo)
Action between D.C. Cesar Fox Secondary and Sir Leon Lessons in their quarterfinal matchup at the Bartica Community ground in the Digicel Schools Football Championship yesterday. (Orlando Charles photo)

Although the wet surface initially threatened to derail the start of the fixture, the contest began brightly for the Georgetown unit with George being denied in the second minute, with his right foot strike being parried over the crossbar after racing into the centre of the box.

On the other side, D.C. Caesar Fox Secondary should have grabbed the lead in the 12th minute but Colin Edwards, following a one-on-one situation, placed his effort straight at the advancing goalkeeper.

George continued to be a threat and came within a whisker of scoring in the 27th minute when his right foot strike from 30 yards out crashed into the crossbar. The chances continued to be crafted for the Georgetown unit as George fired wide of the lower left hand corner after racing past his marker inside the right of the box.

Keifer Adams was then gui!ty of wasting a great chance for Sir Leon Lessons at the start of the second period as he struck the right upright from inside the right of the box, after rounding the onrushing custodian.

Eventually Sir Leon Lessons deservedly took the lead in the 53rd minute as George scored, turning his marker at the top of the box upon collecting a pass before finishing into the lower left corner.

Playing second fiddle for most of the fixture, D.C. Caesar Fox Secondary grabbed the equaliser three minutes later as Uriah King scored. It was an equally brilliant goal as King rose high above several markers inside the centre of the box before directing a towering header down the centre of the net following a left side cross.

It was from this point where the encounter became open and stretched, with Sylvester Richardson restoring Sir Leon’s lead in the 67th minute compliments of a flicked on header from the right side of the box into the left corner after latching onto a right side cross from a free-kick.

Similarly, Deon Brown should have levelled proceedings in the 78th minute but he fired wide of the lower left hand corner with only the advancing goalkeeper in his path.

D.C. Caesar Fox Secondary eventually grabbed the equaliser in the 87th minute as a brilliant Ashton Ward free-kick from 35 yards out in the centre, sailed over the goalkeeper and into the right side of the net, in the process setting up the eventual conclusion.

Meanwhile at the St. Ignatius ground in Lethem, North Georgetown champs Chase Academy defeated Region Number Nine Annai Secondary  2-1 to seal their berth to the semi-final round.