Mixed reactions to Wadadah's derby success
published: Tuesday | February 21, 2006

Adrian Frater, News Editor

WESTERN BUREAU:

WHILE THERE was the customary gloom among Seba United fans following Sunday's 2-1 defeat at the hands of Wadadah in their Wray and Nephew National Premier League Montego Bay derby at Jarrett Park, some supporters were clearly not too disappointed with the result.

"I don't like to see my team get beaten but today's result is good for St. James' football," a Seba United fan was overheard telling a colleagues, who was clearly not pleased with the result. "We can't afford to have any of our teams hanging around the relegation zone."

The result, which left Seba United sitting in eighth place on 29 points, and Wadadah in ninth place on 29 points, has the two Montego Bay teams sitting just outside the comfort of the mid-table section in the 12-team competition and some distance away from Reno (23), Constant Spring (20) and Rivoli (18) - the three bottom placed teams.

However, while Wadadah's coach Anthony 'Follies' Williams saw the win as an indication that his team is now rounding into top form, his Seba United counterpart Heron 'Sheriff' Grey was clearly worried about the injury-ravaged squad feeling the impact of the makeshift strategy they have been forced to resort to.

"We have not been able to field a full-strength Seba team in recent weeks because of the large number of injured players in the squad," said Grey. "We have even found ourselves in the unfortunate position of having to be using injured players in some games."

GENERAL RESPECT

However, in a clear show of the general respect he has for Seba, coach Williams sees beating his great Montego Bay rival as an indication that his team is playing well.

"Seba has been getting some good results in recent games so I see beating them as an indication that we are playing well," said Williams. "A Montego Bay derby is not your usual game, it is a game when both teams give of their very best."

In what was a keenly contested game, Seba United threw away a glorious early opportunity after they were awarded a penalty in the 26th minute after striker Wilfred Smith was fouled inside the penalty box. However, the spot-kick by skipper Norman Foster struck the goal post and rebounded kindly to goalkeeper Gavine Barrett.

In the second half, Wadadah took the lead in the 54th minute when a Seba United defender handled the ball before the goal and the referee ruled penalty. The spot-kick by Rohan Reid gave goalkeeper Loxley Reid no chance, making the score 1-0.

With the Wadadah fans still celebrating, Reid struck again in the 59th minute. A superb curling free-kick by Christopher Currie found him unmarked before the goal and his powerful header flew past the goalkeeper, making the score 2-0.

With time ticking away, Seba grabbed their consolation goal in the 79th minute when substitute Delroy Ellis laid on a neat pass to Kemar James, whose fierce shot flew past the Wadadah goalkeeper, struck a defender and then crashed into the roof of the goal, making the final score 2-1.