SSFL leaders St Benedict's not taking QRC lightly

HAVING established a six-point lead in the 2024 Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) premier division table with their 2-1 win over St Anthony’s College on October 7, southern powerhouse St Benedict’s College (22 points) will aim to put more distance between themselves and the chasing pack when they visit the fifth-placed Queen’s Royal College (13 points) on October 9.

With crucial victories over the last two north zone intercol champions – Fatima College and St Anthony’s – in their previous two matches, Benedict’s will look to take down another north team when they clash with coach Kenwyne Jones’ Royalians in St Clair from 4 pm. Benedict’s won the premier division title in 2022, and their coach Randolph Boyce says his team is hungry for more title success. But with QRC on a four-game unbeaten run, the “La Romaine Lions” are likely to get another stern test.

“We can’t put anything past QRC. Football is played on the day,” Boyce told Newsday, after his team’s win over St Anthony’s.

“We would take it one game at a time going forward and we will just try to see how focused and disciplined the unit could stay, and see how we could play to the best of our ability and keep entertaining the fans.”

Round nine’s televised match will see the seventh-placed Naparima College (11 points) playing host to the relegation-threatened Speyside Secondary (four points) at Lewis Street in San Fernando from 3.30 pm. All other games will have a 4 pm kickoff.

In Tobago, holders Fatima (16 points) will try to put a two-game losing skid to a halt when they tackle the newly promoted Signal Hill Secondary (eight points). Holding on to second spot via goal difference, Fatima will need to find their Midas touch again if they are to stay within touching distance of the rampant St Benedict’s.

Having conceded just three goals in seven matches, the third-placed Presentation College San Fernando (16 points) have the best defence in the league to this point. At the Manny Ramjohn Stadium in Marabella, the “Pres Lions” will hope to be at their defiant best when they play a ninth-placed St Mary’s College (ten points) team who are coming off back-to-back victories over East Mucurapo Secondary and St Augustine Secondary.

At the Arima Velodrome, the fourth-placed Arima North Secondary (14 points), one of two remaining unbeaten teams in the 16-team table alongside St Benedict’s, will tackle the cellar-placed Miracle Ministries Pentecostal High School (three points) as they look to put pressure on the top three.

On the back of consecutive wins, the eighth-placed “Green Machine” of St Augustine (ten points) will face the struggling East Mucurapo (six points) as they aim to continue their recent climb up the standings.

In Trincity, hosts Trinity College East (six points) will try to pull clear of the relegation zone when they face the sixth-placed St Anthony’s (12 points).

At St Anthony’s ground in Westmoorings, the 11th-placed Malick Secondary (eight points) will play the tenth-placed San Juan North Secondary (nine points) in a battle between two teams in desperate need of a favourable result.

SSFL premier division standings

Team*GP*W*D*L*GF*GA*GD*Pts

St Benedict's*8*7*1*0*14*5*9*22

Fatima*8*5*1*2*20*7*13*16

Presentation (San Fernando)*7*5*1*1*15*3*12*16

Arima North*8*3*5*0*12*4*8*14

QRC*8*4*1*3*11*8*3*13

St Anthony's College*7*4*0*3*15*9*6*12

Naparima*6*3*2*1*13*5*8*11

St Augustine*7*3*1*3*7*12*-5*10

St Mary's College*8*3*1*4*8*16*-8*10

San Juan North*8*3*0*5*11*12*-1*9

Malick*7*2*2*3*13*13*0*8

Signal Hill*7*2*2*3*14*16*-2*8

Trinity East*8*2*0*6*12*16*-4*6

East Mucurapo*7*2*0*5*4*9*-5*6

Speyside*6*1*1*4*8*16*-8*4

Miracle Ministries PHS*8*1*0*7*3*29*-26*3