BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - CEMENTING their status as one of the most consistent football teams in St. Kitts and Nevis, S.L. Hosford’s St. Paul’s United Football Club has captured the 2013 Sugar Mas Cup following a 2-nil victory over Garden Hotspurs in the final to climax an exciting weekend of football at the Warner Park Stadium.
St. Paul’s put in a strong defensive effort last evening (Dec. 22) to thwart the attack of the Garden Hotspurs team.
A goal in each half from Raheed Hodge in the 18th minute and Javiem Blanchette in the 53rd minute were enough for St. Paul’s to see off a Spurs side that was outplayed for most of the game.
A mixture of relentless attack and strong defence from St. Paul’s plagued Spurs throughout the game, and this strategy seemingly prevented them from finding the back of their opponent’s net even though they at times executed some brilliant ball-passing and control.
The opening goal came under scrappy circumstances when Spurs failed to properly defend a St. Paul’s attack and the loose ball fell to Hodge, who made no mistake in finding the back of the net.
Despite going behind Spurs continued to play some very attractive and encouraging football but was dealt a blow when Blanchette slipped behind the defence to double his team’s advantage.
Meanwhile, on the previous day, it was sweet revenge for S.L. Horsford’s St. Paul’s United when they trounced Conaree FC 5-1 in the Semi-Finals; for Conaree FC had defeated them in the Finals last August to be crowned the Federation’s Premier Division Champions.
The second Semi-Final match saw the Garden Hotspurs defeating RAM’s Village Superstars 5-2 to set up the Final with St. Paul’s.
The top four clubs of the SKNFA Premier Division at the end of the first round of games were those engaged in competition for the Sugar Mas Cup.
And this is the first time in its four-year existence that Conaree FC did not play in the Finals; they had held the crown for three successive years.
Final Position
1st S. L. Horsford St. Paul’s United
2nd Hobson Enterprises Garden Hotspurs
3rd Island Auto Kactus Conaree FC
4th RAM’s Village Superstars
