Naps extend lead in SSFL

NAPARIMA College extended its lead at the top of the standings after round eight in the Shell/First Citizens Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Premier Division at the school’s home ground at Lewis Street, San Fernando, yesterday.

Defending champions Naparima, clinging on to a one-point lead ahead of St Anthony’s College, defeated Trinity College (Moka) 3-1 to extend its lead to three points. Ezekiel Kesar scored a brace for the defending champions and national youth player Mark Ramdeen got the other item.

St Anthony’s, playing at the college’s school ground in Westmoorings, were held to a 2-2 draw by fellow North Zone team East Mucurapo. St Anthony’s took the lead in the 28th minute through Kairon Manswell, a lead it held onto until half-time. In the 75th minute, Zion McLeod equalised for Mucurapo, before Darius Douglas regained the lead for St Anthony’s in the 83rd minute. Mucurapo never gave up as Delany Zamore equalised again for “Compre” in the 85th minute to leave the match all squared after 90 minutes.

Carapichaima East Secondary, only three points behind Naparima before yesterday’s matches, were held to a 1-1 draw by mid-table team Queen’s Royal College at the Carapichaima ground. The only other top five team to come out victorious yesterday were Presentation College, San Fernando who edged San Juan North Secondary 2-1 at Manny Ramjohn Stadium in Marabella.

In other matches, St Benedict’s moved from the bottom of the standings with a 1-0 win over Speyside Secondary, Trinity College East crushed St Mary’s College 5-0 to move from 12th to eighth and Pleasantville Secondary jumped from tenth to sixth place with a 4-1 win over the fading Malick Secondary. St Augustine Secondary were on a bye, yesterday.

Round nine of the competition will be played on Wednesday at 3.30 pm.

STANDINGS

Team P W D L GF GA Pts

Naparima 8 6 2 0 21 8 20

St Anthony’s 7 5 2 0 22 7 17

Pres San F’do 7 5 1 1 21 5 16

Caps East 7 4 3 0 12 7 15

East Mucurapo 7 3 3 1 14 8 12

Pleasantville 7 3 1 3 12 10 10

QRC 7 3 1 3 10 16 10

Trinity East 7 2 2 3 11 12 8

Speyside 7 2 2 3 9 19 8

San Juan North 7 2 1 4 12 7 7

St Augustine 7 1 4 2 14 13 7

Malick 7 2 0 5 12 16 6

St Benedict’s 7 2 0 5 7 15 6

St Mary’s 8 1 1 6 5 20 4

Trinity Moka 8 1 1 6 8 27 4