Friendship demolishes Xenon 8-1

Action between Friendship Secondary (red) and Xenon Secondary (white) during the Digicel Secondary Schools Football Championship at the Grove Community ground. 
Action between Friendship Secondary (red) and Xenon Secondary (white) during the Digicel Secondary Schools Football Championship at the Grove Community ground. 

Friendship Secondary dismantled Xenon Secondary by an 8-1 score line when the 5th edition of the Digicel Secondary Schools Championship continued yesterday at the Grove Community ground.

Lawrence McPherson opened the scoring in the 12th minute for the winners, slotting home his right -footed attempt into net from the centre of the six-yard box, after collecting a right-side pass.

Troy Tasher would then make it 2-0 in the 23rd minute compliments of a powerful flat right-sided strike into the lower right corner from within the centre of the box, with only the keeper in his path.

Xenon Secondary eventually pulled one back in the 36th minute as Rasheed Evans scored through a shot into the lower right-hand corner, after pouncing on a loose ball following a slip by the final defender.

Nonetheless Friendship Secondary would restore their two-goal lead one minute later as Omali Henry scored, finishing into the right corner from within the area following a solo run from the centre of the field.

McPherson would then increase their lead in the 38th minute, sealing his double through a powerful strike into the roof of the net from within the right side of the box.

It would then become 5-1 in the 48th minute as Isaiah Sam scored, placing his right-footed shot into the middle of the goal from within the box, after racing onto a botched clearance by the Xenon backline.

Kevin Sobers would then get into the goal scoring act in the 50th minute with a left-sided strike down the centre of the goal. With the matchup already decided, Naphtali Joseph and Jumal Khalid would seal the scoreline with strikes in the 65th and 70th minutes respectively.

At the Wisburg Secondary School ground in Linden, Mackenzie High defeated Linden Foundation Secondary by a 3-1 score line.

Jesse Marshall led the winners with a double in the 32nd and 35th minutes while Shaquille Campbell recorded a solo effort in the third minute. Netting for the losers in the 79th minute was Gregory Vaughn. The fixture at the Skeldon Community ground between Tagore Secondary and Manchester Secondary was rescheduled due to a waterlogged playing surface.

The event continues today with five matches at 15:30hrs. Houston Secondary will oppose St. Mary’s Secondary at Tucville ground while Soesdyke Secondary will tackle Covent Garden at the Grove Community ground.

Over at the Leonora Sports Facility, Stewartville Secondary will lock horns with Endeavour Secondary while at the Victoria Community ground, Hope Secondary will tackle La Bonne Intention Secondary.

The final match of the day will pit the New Amsterdam Technical Institute against Corentyne Secondary at the Burnham Park venue. On Saturday at 15:30hrs in the lone fixture, Harmony Secondary will oppose Kwakwani Secondary at the Wisburg Secondary.

The current titleholder is Christianburg/Wismar Secondary which has secured three consecutive championships in the four-year history of the event.