Pleasantville girls, Trendsetter score big in Republic Cup

Pleasantville's under-20 girls' team and Trendsetter Hawks' under-16 boys were among the big winners when the fifth round of the Republic Cup National Youth Football League was played over the weekend.

In the girls' South-Central under-20 category, Pleasantville showed no mercy against NEO Football Academy as they stormed to a mammoth 21-0 win in Balmain, Couva on March 24.

Pleasantville registered their fourth win from as many games in the tournament, and they had a pair of Gosines to thank for their thumping win, as sisters Nikita and Natalia Gosine accounted for ten of their team's goals in the riot.

Nikita, a national youth standout and the star player behind Pleasantville Secondary's run to the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) girls' national intercol title last year, scored six goals in the one-sided affair, with Natalia helping herself to a beaver-trick.

Jada Shepherd also scored a hat-trick for Pleasantville, and Tyiesha Mark scored a double, as NEO had no answer for their opponents' attacking prowess.

In the other match in the South-Central group, Talent and Energy FC got a beaver-trick from Aaqila Virgil as they scored a 5-0 win against Crown Trace.

In the girls' under-20 East zone category, Pro Series and MIC Matura United (both 12 points) continued their fight for top spot atop the group table, with Matura managing a 2-0 win to go level on points with their counterparts.

Tyeisha Griffith was the key player for Matura in the top-of-the-table encounter, scoring a goal in each half to give her team the three points.

In Tobago, girls' under-20 leaders Tobago Chicas (nine points) were held to a goalless draw by Jewels, while Black Panthers (eight points) moved to second spot with a 2-1 victory over Combined Ballers Academy.

Serenity Charles and Naomi Scott scored the goals for Panthers to ensure they keep close tabs on the Chicas on the table.

In the North zone, the boys' under-16 category is quite competitive atop the table, as Trendsetter, City FC and Pro Series, last year's under-15 and under-17 winners in the Trinidad leg of the tourney, all locked on 11 points in a fight for the top spot.

Trendsetter laid down their marker on Sunday, as they hammered the Blue Hawks by a 14-1 margin in Maraval. Both Jahda Riley and Jaquan Phillip scored hat-tricks for Trendsetter as they played Blue Hawks off the park.

Pro Series shared the goals around in their game against Project Pro, as six different players found the net in a 6-0 drubbing.

Meanwhile, City FC got goals from Nadeem Grant, Anthony Mansoor and Keston Richards in their 3-0 victory against Cardinals FA.

Pro Series also had a favourable encounter with Cardinals FA in the North zone under-20 category, as Jaheim Bailey and former Malick Secondary star Lendelle Baptiste each scored a pair of goals in a handsome 7-1 win.

Pro Series (15 points) maintained their perfect record with the victory, with the second-placed City FC (12 points) heavy on their trail.

In the North zone's under-14 age group, though, Cardinals stretched their winning streak to five games with a healthy 5-1 win over Belmont AFE in Maraval.

Cardinals (15 points) head the North zone under-14 table, with both Santa Cruz United and City FC tied on 12 points. On the weekend, City FC drubbed Santa Cruz in their head-to-head encounter when Jeremai Nanton scored a beaver-trick in a 5-1 drubbing.

The Republic Cup will take a break for the Easter weekend, before action resumes on April 6.