Photo: STGC forward Gregory Messam Jr dribbles away from a Charlie Smith defender in their Walker Cup semi-final at the Constant Spring Field on Wednesday. Amoy Brown got the lone goal for STGC to book a place in the final.
St. Georges College kept alive their hopes of an unprecedented four schoolboy titles in one season when they edged a valiant Charlie Smith 1-0 in the semi-finals of the Walker Cup at the Constant Spring Field on Wednesday.
St Georges College fans were out in their numbers and was expecting nothing but a win for the sky blues,while Charlie Smith had their fair share of supporters, hoping the Jerome Waite coached team would come away with a victory.
Both teams found it hard to get a hold of the game as the match was a tight battle in midfield as they both played well defensively the first half an hour without creating too many chances.
It was a game where both number tens were the most involved, but St Georges College number ten Shevon Stewart, looked the better player and made the Charlie Smith defense uncomfortable with his brilliance in dribbling past players.
The Charlie Smith number ten Bebeto McDonald, who is their leading goal scorer this season, had a hard time with the Sky Blue defenders who gave him little space to work with. He did win a couple of free kicks for Charlie Smith but was not in any dangerous positions to give Cordell Irving any problems in goal.
The half ended 0-0 and it was a rather unimpressive half with neither team really taking control of the game.
At the start of the second half action St Georges College looked more confident on the ball despite Charlie Smith getting a shot early in the half
.
Stewart received the ball from his midfield, wide on the left hand side and walked pass three defenders before passing to Gregory Messam Junior in space six yards from goal. Messam Jr’s side footed kick was straight to goal keeper Leon Taylor who did not handle it well and it went for a corner.
Messam Junior made up for his missed chance, delivering a well taken corner kick that striker Amoy Brown headed home in the 76th minute to give the team a 1-0 lead. Brown did well to get to the ball through a crowd of players and then to get it on target. This was brilliant from the St Georges College leading goal scorer.
Charlie Smith did look more purposeful going forward after falling behind. The Trench Town based school created their best scoring opportunity in the 84th minute when McDonald made a run at the St Georges College defense on the right and crossed the ball just before it went outside. The ball rolled across the face of goal asking for a touch but no one was there to put it into an empty net.
St Georges managed the clock well as they booked their spot in the final.
“I thought my boys played well today. We did what we had to do to get the three points. Charlie Smith tried to stifle us but we got one goal and it was enough,” a grateful Marcel Gayle, assistant coach of St. Georges College said.
“Georges made good use of the dead ball situation and that made the difference today. Overall it is a good experience for the team. All is not lost, we will now focus on the LIME Super Cup and the Manning Cup, but it was a good effort,” a philosophical Jerome Waite said.
A mouth watering final now awaits when the two giants, St. Georges College and Jamaica College meet.
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