San Juan North thump Speyside 4-0, Fatima rout QRC 7-1

SAN JUAN North Secondary (24 points) maintained their two-point lead in the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) premier division on Wednesday, as they got a convincing 4-0 win versus Speyside Secondary (13 points) in a visit to Speyside, Tobago.

San Juan standout and TT youth attacker Lindell Sween was among the scorers for the team that made the journey from Bourg Mulatresse. San Juan striker Jaheem Danclar also found the back of the net for the visitors, who also got a thumping win over the other Tobago school — Bishop’s High — on the previous match day.

There was no reprieve for the relegation-threatened Bishop’s (three points) following their heavy 6-0 loss to San Juan on the weekend, as they were beaten 4-0 by four-time premier division champions Naparima College (21 points) in San Fernando.

Naparima consolidated third spot in the 16-team standings with their win and their performance was powered by Tevin Pantor who scored a hat-trick to take his season’s tally to nine goals — the joint-highest in the league.

There were also hat-tricks recorded at Fatima Grounds in Mucurapo and at the Trinity College East school compound in Trincity. In Mucurapo, Aidan DeGannes netted a silky treble to take his goal tally to nine as the second-placed Fatima (22 points) stormed to a resounding 7-1 win over Queen’s Royal College (QRC) in a rematch of last season’s north zone intercol final.

In that 2022 final, Fatima sauntered to the intercol crown with a 5-0 triumph. On Wednesday on Mucurapo Road, the Hutson Baba-coached Fatima outfit continued their dominance over QRC with a thoroughly pleasing display of football.

Christian Bailey also netted twice for Fatima, whose TT under-17 attacker Michael Chaves arguably scored the goal of the season with a thrilling solo run to give his team a 3-1 lead in the 42nd minute. In the second half, the hosts banged in four more goals to complete the riot.

In Trincity, the hosts Trinity (eight points) got only their second win of the season as a Khaleem Prince hat-trick fired them to a 3-0 win over St Mary’s College (12 points).

At the Arima Velodrome, Arima North Secondary (16 points) and East Mucurapo Secondary (ten points) played to a goalless draw.

Both teams lacked quality in the final third when it mattered and were unable to clinch the three points in the end.

In the 89th minute, Mucurapo’s burly midfielder Atiba Khidr looked to be threatening the goal with a booming long-range shot, but his effort whistled just wide of Isaiah Diaz’s post.

In Westmoorings, St Anthony’s College (16 points) and their north zone rivals Malick Secondary (ten points) also could not be separated as they played to a 2-2 draw. Jean-Marc Thomas completed a double to give St Anthony’s a 2-1 lead, but Malick were able to grab an equalising item to come away with a share of the spoils.

At the Mahaica Oval in Point Fortin, defending champions St Benedict’s College (17 points) jumped from seventh spot to fourth as they got a 3-0 win over Presentation College San Fernando (also 17 points). TT youth attacker Malachi Webb grabbed a double to inspire Benedict’s in a rematch of last year’s south zone intercol final.

In a relegation battle at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium in Marabella, Pleasantville Secondary (four points) were able to move from the foot of the table as they defeated Chaguanas North Secondary 2-0 to get their first win of the campaign.

Kelon Williams scored from the penalty mark for Pleasantville to notch his fifth goal of the season.

With the loss, Chaguanas are now last on the standings and have conceded a whopping 48 goals in nine matches.