BROOKLYN, New York (CMC):

Jamaica wrote themselves into the record books on Sunday when they captured the Digicel New York Caribbean Cup here for a record fifth consecutive time.

The New York Reggae Boyz demonstrated their football prowess by beating five-time champions St Vincent and the Grenadines 4-2 on penalty kicks after the scores were locked nil-all at the end of regulation time.

Jamaica clinically converted all four of their penalty kicks to record their sixth title after they also won the Cup in 2003 when they trounced St Lucia 4-1.

Ryan Reid, Irvino English, Allan Maragh and current national Reggae Boy Desmond Breakenridge all scored for Jamaica, while Rayvon Jack and Chris Meyers converted for SVG.

Grayson Alexander, who has scored a hat-trick in SVG's 5-0 swamping of St Lucia in last week's semi-final duel, failed to convert in his team's first penalty kick, as the ball went wide of the far post.

Spectacular saves

Jamaica's goalkeeper Maurice Evans saved SVG's third penalty kick from the boots of Seinard Bowens.

Earlier, SVG staved off the Jamaicans' aggression with solid defence and spectacular saves by custodian Marcus Williams, and came close to scoring on several occasions.

But the Jamaicans, reinforced by four national players - Breakenridge, Jermaine Hue, Damian Williams and Brian Wollaston - and 10 other Premier League stars, were not contented to roll over.

It was, clearly the Jamaicans' toughest fight of the season before an effervescent Labour Day crowd.

"Five consecutive wins - it's the greatest achievement in the whole Caribbean Community in New York, said an elated Jamaica head coach Norbert Radjpaul in a CMC Sports post-match interview.

"You can't deny that. When it comes to penalty kicks, nothing misses. We're professional penalty kickers."

His opposite number, Stanley 'Luxie' Morris, said his team did not practice sufficiently in the preceding week to match the dexterity of the Jamaicans, especially in penalty kicks.

"I'm totally disappointed. Everybody feels bad," he said. "The players always like to play Jamaica but we did not create enough chances. And we let down on penalty kicks."

Controversial circumstances

He lamented that it had become habitual for SVG to lose in finals since they had lost to Grenada 2-1 on penalty kicks in 1998 and 1-0 to the same team a year later.

Grenada, who were beaten 2-1 by Jamaica in the other semi-final encounter last week in controversial circumstances, failed to show up for a third-place battle with St Lucia.

As a result, Cup officials said Grenada would be banned from competition for a year and denied any prize money. St Lucia were awarded third spot.

St Lucia drew 3-3 with last season's runners-up St Kitts and Nevis in a pre-championship exhibition match.