Ronaldo brace keeps Naps in hunt

Ronaldo McIntosh scored a brace for the second consecutive match, as Naparima kept the pressure on leaders Presentation College San Fernando in round 10 of the Secondary Schools Football League, yesterday.

McIntosh’s double led Naparima to a come from behind 2-1 victory over Carapichaima East at the Naparima Ground at Lewis Street in San Fernando. Theophilus Bourne gave Caps an early advantage with an eighth minute strike – a lead they took to halftime. The Naparima team talk seemed to work as McIntosh scored in the 53rd and 57th minutes. Naparima are still two points behind leaders Presentation.

Presentation made their long journey to Trinity College (Moka) count, recording a 3-1 win. Pres also had to come from behind as Kai Phillip gave Trinity the lead in the first minute. Pres only took three minutes to respond through Jayie Shepherd, before two early second half goals by Matthew Joseph (55th) and Nathaniel Dyer (57th) put the game to bed.

Third placed St Anthony’s also kept their title hopes alive with a 2-1 win over Fatima at the Fatima College Ground on Mucurapo Road. Haile Beckles scored in the 29th and 69th minute for St Anthony’s, while Andrew Abraham netted in the 47th minute for Fatima.

St Mary’s College defeated arch rivals Queen’s Royal College 3-1 at the latter’s school ground. St Mary’s moved up to seventh on the standings, while QRC are now last with only one win this season and for the second season in a row are in a relegation battle.

After the win, St Mary’s coach Ryan Shim said his team is improving. “I feel very happy at this point in time. The team is improving and we are moving up the ladder and that is important,” Shim said.

Shim said the aim of the team is to play at a high level for the remainder of the season. “Our goal now is to try to play undefeated football until the end of the season. For the last two, three years we have been finishing mid-table so we are trying to do a little better than that.”

In other results, San Juan North edged Trinity College East 1-0, Signal Hill and Fyzabad played to a 0-0 draw, Shiva Boys defeated St Augustine 4-3 and Speyside moved from the bottom of the standings with a 1-0 win over St Benedict’s.