Signal Hill thump Miracle Ministries 6-0 to seal Intercol semi spot

SIGNAL Hill stormed into the 2024 Secondary Schools’ Football League (SSFL) Coca-Cola National Intercol semifinals after thumping Miracle Ministries 6-0 in the last quarter-final tie at Ato Boldon Stadium in Balmain, Couva, on November 26.

Two first half goals from Jermaine Morgan combined with one each from Kyle James, Emmanuel Wright, Antonio Hopkins and Israeli Trim.

The Tobago team had a bright start and dominated the opening ten minutes. Good linking up from the Signal Hill front three of Hopkins, James and Morgan saw the latter fire past Miracle goalkeeper Kieron Guy to make it 1-0 after 11 minutes.

The opening goal brought an air of confidence to the visitors. However, in the 17th minute, Miracle striker Aaron Clement got past two defenders with a stroke of luck and fired his right-footed shot off the top left corner of Signal Hill’s goal post; their best chance of the first half. Clement shouted in frustration.

Signal Hill responded seven minutes later with another good passage of play up front that resulted in James rifling his shot past Guy to go 2-0 up. Miracle struggled to keep pace with a clearly more physical Tobago outfit. Mario Perreira had a clear chance to put them further ahead but his one-time shot went directly into Guys arms.

In the 31st, Morgan bagged his second after latching on to a neat pass, turning and then firing past a diving Guy.

Four minutes later, Miracle had another rare chance to score but Clement was unable to successfully convert his header after latching on to Isaiah Mitchell’s cross. At the half time break, Signal Hill remained 3-0 up.

Miracle looked a bit more composed in the early parts of the second half but were punished once more when substitute Wright showed some fancy footwork to cut across two central defenders and spank his shot past Guy to make it 4-0 in the 54th. James, Hopkins and Morgan continued to threaten the Miracle backline as the second period progressed.

Smart one-two football in front the Miracle goal saw Jaquon Defour set up Hopkins nicely who made no mistake to pass the ball into the Miracle net; 5-0 in the 70th minute.

With Miracle chances coming few and far between, Signal Hill continued to apply pressure despite their stern lead. Several chances went high and wide while Miracle lacked the final pass.

However, in the 89th minute, Signal Hill put the nail on Miracle’s coffin when Trim blasted a long range, right-footed shot into the left corner to affirm a 6-0 drubbing.

The victory for Signal Hill sets them up for a national intercom semi-final clash against SSFL premiership and south zone intercol champions St Benedict’s at the same venue on November 29.

The other semi-final kicks off on November 28 with Fatima College up against San Juan North at Diego Martin Sporting Complex.