Adrian Frater, News Editor
Western Bureau:
St. James High School emerged rural champions of the 2006 ISSA/Malta Under-14 football competition when goals by Ricardo Morris, Allan Ottey, Jason Malcolm and Daniel Foote carried them to an exciting 4-3 win over Rusea's in Tuesday afternoon's final, which was played at Jarrett Park, in Montego Bay.
"We are delighted because this is what we have been hoping for all season," said Gavin Edmond, a member of the St. James High coaching staff. "We have been training from Sunday to Sunday and we always felt that we had a glorious chance of winning this title."
In a game which St. James dominated the first half but ran into solid second-half resistance, they took the lead in the fifth minute when Morris sprinted on to a pass from Ottey and crashed a fierce left-footer into the roof of the net.
With Rusea's failing to come to grips with their fluent passing, St. James High doubled their lead in the 15th minute when Ottey worked his way through the defence and calmly slotted out of the reach of the goalkeeper. St. James ended their excellent first half in fine style in the 33rd minute when Malcolm pounced on a superb pass from the skilful Foote, turned neatly past two defenders and fired between the hands of the goalkeeper, making the half-time score 3-0.
The second half started with Rusea's looking more purposeful and they were rewarded in the eighth minute of the half when a superb free-kick by Nicodie Haughton curled away from the goalkeeper and flew into the goal, making the score 3-1.
With the momentum in their favour, Rusea's struck again three minutes later when Craig Harris capitalised on a defensive error and with the goalkeeper at his mercy, he calmly rolled the ball passed him into the goal, making the score 3-2. The pressure was eased for St. James in the 58th minute when they were awarded a penalty when a defender was adjudged to have handled the ball. The spot-kick by Foote gave the goalkeeper no chance, making the score 4-2.
However, Rusea's refused to buckle and got another goal in the 72nd minute when a spectacular long-range shot by Robert Perring struck the hands of the goalkeeper, fell behind him and then rolled into the goal.
