GOING GOAL CRAZY ALL OVER AGAIN
For the second successive game, the boys went goal crazy as we beat Diamond FC 10-1, yes 10-1 in our must win final group game in the Presidents Cup, and with that win we have now qualified for the semi-finals of the competition!
If beating West End Predators 9-0 last week wasn’t memorable enough, then this latest result must go down as perhaps one of our greatest ever! To put the result into context, we must remember that Diamond FC finished the 2023 regular season in 3rd position, finishing four places and eighteen points better off than ourselves! I think this goes to show what improvement has been made on the pitch in just a short space of time and credit must be given to all at the club for this achievement!
We started the game against Diamond FC on the front foot by forcing an early corner with Jauron Gayle then going close to opening the scoring twice within three minutes before Asharn Hodge gave us the lead on nine minutes. An in-swinging corner was delivered from our captain Javis Jones which Ash met perfectly to give the opposition goalkeeper no chance of saving!
Straight from the kick off, Diamond launched their first attack which forced a fine smothering save from our goalkeeper Keronni Vanterpool. Jauron then had another effort saved which was followed by Jordan Deans trying his luck from range. In a pulsating opening 14 minutes, we had Marvin Erskine to thank for thwarting what looked like a dangerous attack from our opponents! One minute later we doubled our lead! Tajay Johnson went on a mazy run down the left side and shot at goal, his attempt was saved but the ball fell to Jauron to tap home from close range!
It was 3-0 on 21 minutes when Tajay himself got in on the scoring for the evening. This was a great team goal! It started with Asharn who intercepted a pass, the ball went to Jordan who found Tajay, ‘Barber’ played a lovely one-two with Keron Warner before slipping the ball past the on-rushing goalkeeper.
On 27 minutes, Diamond caused some panic in our box with a long ball, but we did well to eventually clear the danger. Two minutes later it was 4-0! Defari Francis played a defence splitting pass to put Jauron clean through on goal and ‘The Anguillan Archer’ expertly finished with a first-time low shot.
4-0 soon became 5-0! Yet again this was another quite brilliant team goal! It started deep in our own half with the ‘Rolls Royce’ that is Marvin Erskine winning the ball and playing a one-two with Javis Jones. Marvin then played the ball to Jauron who found Keron Warner with a through ball. Keron was forced wide, but he beat his man before placing the ball between the goalkeepers’ legs!
The goals kept on flying in with our 6th of the night coming in the 33rd minute, Jauron was denied his hat-trick courtesy of a terrific save, but the ball fell to Delani who finished into an unguarded net from close range. Almost immediately after the restart, ‘Barber’ nearly made it 7-0 only for his shot to be cleared off the line! However, we didn’t have to wait too long for our 7th goal with it coming in the 42nd minute! Jordan Deans delivered a free kick into the box from the right flank, ‘Barber’ hit the post with a volley and the ball rebounded to Keron Warner who finished calmly for his 2nd goal of the half!
The score remained at 7-0 as the players went into the dressing room for the half-time break. What an amazing display of attacking football!!!
It took only three minutes of the second half for us to increase our lead with the goal coming courtesy of a brilliant volley from Jauron which secured his second hat-trick in as many games! Diamond then went on a rare attack which was again thwarted by, yes, you’ve guessed it, the very impressive Marvin Erskine! It was then Marvin’s central defensive partner, Asharn Hodge who denied another attack from our opponents.
On 61 minutes, ‘Barber’ went close to making it 9-0 only for his delightful chip to come back off the crossbar but one minute later, Jauron grabbed his 4th of the night and our 9th following some good work by that man ‘Barber!’
Five minutes later, the boys made club history by scoring ten goals in a single game for the first ever time! Keron Warner getting his hat-trick goal with a wonderful side foot finish at the near post! This proved to be our last goal of the night despite creating several other chances in a superb display of attacking football. Credit must go to our opponents who never gave up and they were rewarded with a consolation goal on 79 minutes through a penalty which Jared Smiens converted despite Keronni Vanterpool getting a hand to his shot.
What an amazing night, a night that will live long in the memory of everybody connected with our club. Now on to the semi-finals and a meeting on Wednesday against Roaring Lions.
#oneclubonegoal
STARTING LINE UP:
1.Keronni Vanterpool (GK), 2.Delani Francis, 3.Asharn Hodge, 22.Marvin Erskine, 27.Nathaniel Gumbs, 8.Jordan Deans, 24.Javis Jones ( c ), 15.Keron Warner, 7.Defari Francis, 11.Tajay Johnson, 13.Jauron Gayle
SUBSTITUTES:
17.Rachad Thomas, 4.Matthew Brown, 5.Tre Gumbs, 6.Denny Derrick, 25.Dajaun Jacobs