St Benedict's crush St Augustine 6-0 to go ten straight

SECONDARY Schools Football League (SSFL) premier division leaders St Benedict's College (31 points) notched their tenth straight win in the 2024 season on October 16 when they romped to a 6-0 win against St Augustine Secondary (14 points) at Mahaica Oval in Point Fortin to maintain their six-point lead on the 16-team table.

After tight wins over northern schools East Mucurapo Secondary (2-0), Queen's Royal College (2-1) and St Anthony's College (2-1), the 2022 premier division champs were in a rampant mood on home soil, scoring all six goals against the hapless St Augustine team in the first half. Once again, Benedict's were led by their impressive captain and forward Derrel "Zum Zum" Garcia who bagged a hat-trick to take his league tally to nine goals – all coming in the last five games.

TT under-20 midfielder Josiah Ochoa also got on the scoresheet from the penalty spot, with Kylon Cayenne and Elijah David grabbing the other goals.

The second-placed Presentation College San Fernando (25 points) got a big victory on enemy territory as they downed St Anthony's College by a 3-1 margin in a meeting between last season's national intercol finalists.

Presentation copped the 2023 national intercol crown courtesy a penalty shootout win against the "Tigers," and they showed their mettle once again to get a precious three points in Westmoorings.

The "Pres Lions" did start the game on the back foot, as in-form St Anthony's forward Andell Fraser gave his team the lead in the 15th minute with a thumping right-footed shot into the top corner from a tight angle on the right side to net his seventh goal of the season.

Fraser and his teammates barely had time to celebrate, though, as the visitors responded less than 60 seconds later when their striker Caleb Boyce scored with an inadvertent scorpion kick in the six-year box after St Anthony's goalie Josiah Morris spilled a right-side cross from Nikosi Foncette. It was Boyce's eighth goal of the league campaign.

St Anthony's looked threatening with the pair of Jean-Marc Thomas and Fraser in attack, and they should have regained the lead in the 29th minute. However, with Marcelo Phillip's goal at his mercy, Fraser sent a low effort into the side netting after giving defender Cody Cooper the slip.

Instead, in the 35th minute, Presentation went 2-1 up when Vaughn Clement notched his first of two goals in the game – sliding a right-footed shot into the net from close range after an untidy scramble in the St Anthony's box.

The second-half couldn't quite match the intensity and end-to-end action from the first half, as a more scrappy encounter ensued.

In the 68th minute, Phillip was forced into an awkward, low save when he palmed away a long-distance effort from Davoure Thomas.

At the other end, Presentation's Isaiah Jacob saw a meaty hit just kept out by Morris in the 74th minute, before Clement got his name on the scoresheet for a second time two minutes later with a powerful penalty in the top corner to give the south giants a key win.

With coach Randolph Boyce's Benedict's team threatening to run away with the title, Presentation may be the only team capable of reining them in.

In Mucurapo, reigning champs Fatima College (23 points) consolidated third spot when they whipped Trinity College East (seven points) by a 4-1 margin – sending their opponents into the relegation zone in the process. TT youth player Caden Trestrail scored a brace, with attacking midfielders Luke Correia and Jahaem Bailey scoring a goal apiece.

At Lewis Street, San Fernando, four-time premier division champions Naparima College (19 points) moved up to fourth spot despite being held to a 1-1 draw by QRC (14 points). The southern powerhouse school finished the game with ten men, though, as their goal scorer Israel Joseph was sent off in the 79th minute for violent conduct.

The inactive Arima North Secondary (18 points) slipped to fifth, as their fixture with the newly promoted Signal Hill Secondary (nine points) will be rescheduled to a later date.

On Serpentine Road, St Clair, St Mary's College (13 points) recorded a big 4-1 win over the underperforming San Juan North Secondary (ten points) who were dealt a seventh loss in the campaign.

Also in St Clair, Malick Secondary (14 points) moved from ninth to seventh when they got a 3-1 victory against Mucurapo, with Lyndell George, Tyrese Manswell and Omilio Millard scoring a goal each.

In Speyside, Tobago, hosts Speyside Secondary (nine points) moved out of the relegation zone as they got a crucial 3-1 win over the cellar-placed Miracle Ministries Pentecostal High School (four points).

SSFL premier division standings

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

St Benedict's*11*10*1*0*24*6*18*31

Presentation (San Fernando)*10*8*1*1*26*6*20*25

Fatima*11*7*2*2*32*12*20*23

4.Naparima*10*5*4*1*21*9*12*19

5.Arima North*10*4*6*0*18*5*13*18

6.St Anthony's College*10*6*0*4*22*13*9*18

7.Malick*11*4*2*5*23*24*-1*14

8.QRC*11*4*2*5*14*15*-1*14

9.St Augustine*10*4*2*4*11*19*-8*14

10.St Mary's College*11*4*1*6*13*23*-10*13

11.San Juan North*11*3*1*7*15*21*-6*10

12.Signal Hill*9*2*3*4*17*23*-6*9

13.Speyside*9*2*3*4*14*20*-6*9

14.Trinity East*11*2*1*8*14*23*-9*7

15.East Mucurapo*10*2*0*8*5*17*-12*6

16.Miracle Ministries PHS*11*1*1*9*5*38*-33*4