It seems the 2015 Digicel Premier League title will be heading to Paragon for a third consecutive year after Barbados Defence Force Sports Programme (BDFSP) finished their league season with a 1-0 victory over Weymouth Wales on Saturday night at the Wildey, St Michael AstroTurf.
If Rendezvous, currently in second position on 35 points with a goal difference of 21, thrash Wales by more than 11 goals this Thursday in the final game of the league season, that is the only way they can deny the BDFSP from not only doing the hat-trick but capturing the double also. The soldiers are out front on 38 points with a better goal difference of 33.
In Saturday’s encounter Wales’ defender Sean Clarke brought down captain Romario Harewood inside the box and referee Royon Small pointed to the spot. Harewood stepped up and made no mistake when he nailed the ball past custodian Bentley Springer in the 72nd minute. The soldiers ended the season having played 18 games, won 12, drawn two, lost four and having a goal difference of 33.
Corey McCollin of Wales tries to stop Barbados Defence Force Sports Programme’s captain and goal-scorer Romario Harewood from making progress on the right flank.
They have had a tremendous year in football and will become the first team to do the double in five years since Claytons Kola Tonic Notre Dame did it back in 2010. The soldiers defeated Rendezvous 2-1 in the Banks Knockout Final last week Sunday.
Speaking with Barbados TODAY, BDFSP head coach Asquith Howell said team football was what won championships, not individual play, and even though they had reaped success over the last few years, they were still a work in progress.
“One of the things that we continue to push is the developmental aspect and our aim is to make sure the national team has a good backbone and core of players and ironically most of the players came from Barbados Defence Force Sports Programme during this period,” Howell said.
He added: “When you are dealing with youngsters it will be a bit difficult because everybody wants to play. But one of my strengths in coaching is having them believe in themselves first and foremost and as a team to move forward as a unit because team football is what wins championships; not individual football.”
Howell said at the beginning of the season many people were of the view that when BDFSP top striker and then captain Mario Harte who now plays for University of the West Indies Blackbirds left the team, that the BDFSP would crumble.
He however pointed out that is where the team stepped in and proved that as soon as somebody leaves there is always someone to replace him and that was proven this year especially by their captain Romario Harewood who ended with 14 goals this season.
One of the top football coaches on the island, Howell further explained: “Both captains of BDFSP are young and it was purposely done to put the two youngest as captains because they are the key to building the team for the future, so when Harte left I put Harewood and Morris [Ricardo] as captains. Jamal Chandler was also key in motivating and keeping the players together. Jamal is one of the oldest players in the team and he helped guide the players because he was the most experience of the lot.”
In the other game played Rendezvous needed to win convincingly against UWI in order to give themselves a chance of challenging BDFSP on goal difference when they play Wales in their final encounter.
But in the end Rendezvous only managed to walk away with a mere 1-0 victory thanks to midfielder Romano Snagg in the 74th minute. Even though UWI had four defenders back, Snagg was still able to get the ball through and beat goalkeeper Dwayne Webb who came off his mark in an effort to make the save and missed the ball completely.
Rendezvous goal-scorer Romano Snagg (right) dribbles his way past Kadeem Atkins of UWI.
Wales are in third position tied on 31 points with UWI but have a better goal difference than the university men. Rendezvous will play Wales and UWI take on seventh place Notre Dame when the curtains come down on this year’s league season.
(Photographs by Morissa Lindsay)