BASSETERRE St.Kitts - Fifty-nine minutes had gone in the game. Tonito Willet had just made a terrific finish to put defending champions BAS Stoney Grove Strikers in a more than comfortable position with a score line of three goals to nil as they came up against a powerful SL Horsfords Highlights Int to determine the top team of the Legend’s cup 2010.
By the sixtieth minute the Stoney Grove fans were already pleading with the referee to call time.
The heads of the Horsfords Highlights Int players were drooping. The bench was absolutely stunned into silence. Suddenly a magical moment occurred: Rovan Wigley pounced on a defensive error close in and pummelled the ball home. From there on, there was a renewed spring in the steps of the players. The Highlights men were now applying serious pressure on the Stoney Grove defence. Then it happened. There was an intense exchange between the opposing players within the box area and one of the Stoney Grove defensive players did the unthinkable as he drew the foul. The resulting penalty was promptly put away by Kareem Mitchum, in the 78th minute.
Three goals to two in favour of Stoney Grove. The reality was, Stoney Grove was still comfortably in charge of the game.
In the 80th minute, Kirkland Harris produced the goal of the match—if not of the Legend’s cup series: He received a pass on the right wing, quite some distance outside of the penalty area. As the defense for Stoney Grove closed in, he shifted smartly to his right and peeled off a thrilling bomber which left Goalkeeper ‘Pas’ totally flatfooted and staring helplessly as the ball sailed into the back of the net. The Highlights fans were now on their feet for the very first time in the game. They were now calling on the referee to call time. The game was tied on 3 goals-all and it was obvious that they were confident of getting the better of a penalty kick off situation, once the scores remained that way.
With just two minutes remaining however, the exciting Kirkland Harris received a long pass and as he outran the defensive players, ‘Pas’ came out of his goal to take him on man to man. Harris hooked the hapless goal keeper and made no mistake as he pummelled the ball into the back of the empty goal. Four goals to three! The Highlights fans could no longer contain themselves. Words of advice rang across the ET Willet Park, as Stoney Grove desperately tried to equalize and Highlights tried to ensure that they held on to the lead.
As Referee Virgo blew the final whistle, the Highlights bench and fan club raced towards the players in celebration.
Highlights, the 2010 Legend’s cup champions winning over Slybo Stoney Grove Strikers four goals to three—what a match!
Summary of the game:
Sl Horsfords highlights four goals:
Rovan Wigley—sixty-eight minute
Kareem Mitchum—penalty—78th minute
Kirkland Harris 78th and 88th minute
Slybo Stoney Grove Strikers—3 goals:
Errol ‘Marley’ Newton—7th minute
Tonito Willet 55th and 59th minute
Sheldon ‘Dapper’ Lawrence who was not playing, immediately went to shake hands with the winners but in a post match interview indicated that he was not very happy with the officiating in the game. He however warned that his team will bounce back in the regular season.
Ras Iroy for the Highlights team noted that his team’s ‘never say die’ attitude brought them through. He admitted that with the score on 3 goals to nil, it looked all over for his team but was warm in his praise for the men for their spectacular come from behind victory.
President of the NFA, Colin Walwyn was on hand to congratulate the winners and noted that the trophies did not arrive as planned for the presentation on that night but indicated that this will be done at the start of the regular season, early in the New Year.
The Footballers will now enjoy a break for the Christmas season and hopefully return refreshed to thrill the fans some more for 2011.
