Just in case there was any belief the first time was a fluke, Christ Church East Central produced a superb showing at Kensington Oval last night to capture their second David Thompson Memorial Constituency Councils Football Classic title.
In a sublime display of football, the defending champs totally outplayed St Michael Central on their way to a convincing 3-0 win, adding to their previous championship run in 2013.
Players and supporters of Christ Church East Central celebrating their capture of the David Thompson Memorial Constituency Council Football Classic.
Despite dominating the majority of the contest in the first half, Christ Church East Central wasted several opportunities to take the lead, resulting in a goalless first half.
However, that all changed in the second period, thanks mainly to the efforts of substitute Sherwin Success.
Just moments after coming onto the pitch, Success played an integral role in his team’s first goal.
Collecting the ball on the left flank, he made a superb run before delivering an accurate cross right onto the boot of the tournament’s leading goal scorer and Most Valuable Player (MVP), Jabarry “Papi” Chandler who made no mistake in slotting the ball past St Michael Central’s custodian Gregg Jones and into the back of the net to make it 1-0 in the 65th minute.
Jabbary Chandler accepting his MVP trophy from Chairman of the Christ Church West Constituency Council Winston Armstrong.
Darian King, the 2013 MVP, was a constant headache for St Michael Central’s defenders, weaving and dribbling his way through the heart of the defense at will.
One of the plays of the night came courtesy the skilled tennis player, who, after turning his defender inside out on the right flank, brought the crowd to its feet by giving him another “lock”, which left him skating on the grassy turf.
King, who also walked away with the award for Best Midfielder, was duly awarded for his efforts in the 83rd minute when Chandler was brought down in the penalty box.
However, after placing the ball to the right of a diving Jones, he was forced to retake the penalty after one of his teammates prematurely ran into the box before he had taken the penalty.
That didn’t make a difference to the result though, as King blasted the ball straight down the middle, leaving Jones with no chance.
Success then put the final nail in the coffin three minutes later, when he too converted from the penalty spot, with his powerful shot cannoning into the right corner of the net to give Christ Church East Central a 3-0 cushion.
Chandler, who finished the competition with a tournament high 12 goals, told Barbados TODAY he always knew his team would win the competition again.
“Before this competition began, I always knew that we would be back here in the finals. So said, so done and tonight we were back here in the finals and we do it all the time like Nike, we ‘just do it’,” the jubilant striker explained.
“The guys put up a good fight, but I always knew my guys were going to pull through.”
In the third placed game St Michael South defeated St George South 3-2 on penalties.