WALTER ALIBEY
Speyside Secondary School has taken the top spot after two rounds of matches in the Championship Division play-off of the Shell/First Citizens Secondary Schools Football League, playing to a 1-1 tie with Trinity College East at home in Tobago on Sunday.
However, the next stop for Speyside is against Malick Secondary this afternoon at the Patna Recreation Ground in River Estate, Diego Martin, from 3.30 pm, needing a win to cement its position with two more rounds of matches left to play.
After two games at home, the boys from the sister isle first shocked southerners Princes Town 2-1 on Friday and later shared the points with Trinity East, for a total of four points.
Coach Kerry Lynch said he is confident his team will go all the way to the Premiership Division as his team has been building confidence, particularly after the Princes Town encounter. The top three teams from the play-off will be promoted to the premiership division and the bottom three from the premiership will be relegated.
Also today, a rejuvenated Princes Town will take on Carapichaima Secondary at the Carapichaima ground, hoping to build on their 4-1 victory over Malick.
On Friday last, their manager Robert Warner said last week his team did not play as well as they normally would against Speyside, but was hoping to rebound in their next match, which they did. Already in second position, victory against Carapichaima will ensure the southerners remain in second with six points from three matches, while the Tobagonians will maintain their top position if they win against Malick.
Warner said his team is intent on achieving a goal set since March of this year, which is to qualify for the premiership division for the first time. The school has be winners of two National InterCol titles back in 1994 and 2002 and has been a feeder programme to national youth and senior teams. According to Warner, “We have a rich football history and a lot to offer to this country.”
Warner said his team performed much better against Malick on Sunday but they are still far off their best performance. “We are looking forward to our best game, so we embrace today’s meeting with Carapichaima. Our players have been upbeat, confident but yet cautious and will approach every match that way until we achieve our goal,” Warner added.
Standings & matches
Latest Play-off Standings
Teams P W D L F A GD Pts
Speyside 2 1 1 0 3 2 2 4
P/Town 2 1 0 1 5 3 2 3
Carapichaima East 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 3
Trinity 2 0 1 1 1 2 -1 1
Malick 1 0 0 1 1 4 -3 0
Today’s Matches
Princes Town vs Carapichaima at Carapichaima
Malick vs Speyside at Patna Ground, D/Martin