Log In

Reset Password

Colts derby takes centre stage

Eastern promise: brothers Blaiz Hall and Kashe Hall will be key for St George's Colts against Devonshire Colts (File photograph)

An exciting match is in store tomorrow when St George’s Colts and Devonshire Colts clash in a Premier Division fixture at the Wellington Oval — the most defining showdown between the host club and their former tenants for a generation.

The two head into this fixture after securing wins in their last league encounters. St George’s should be more confident than their opponents after a deserved 2-0 success over champions PHC on Tuesday night.

Captain Kashe Hall's first-half penalty and substitute Jahron Dickinson's late goal brought to an end to a three-match winless run.

Hall was quick to attribute the surprise win at Stadium Lane to unity in the St George’s camp. Signs of disintegration were evident when things were not going well for Drewonde Bascome’s side, as they lost to North Village, drew with Paget Lions and also slumped to a defeat against Wolves.

The St George’s captain will lead the team’s quest for goals, together with brother Blaiz, while Ne-Jai Tucker’s contribution should be crucial.

Tucker played a huge role in the victory over PHC, as he was brought down in the box to earn a penalty before he released Dickinson for the second.

Colts have made a bright start to the season, with four wins from six placing them in the race for the title. Keino Burch was the star of the show with a brace in a 4-0 triumph over Young Men’s Social Club.

Ray Jones’s players were stretched when they lost 3-2 in extra time to Village in the Friendship Trophy preliminary round at Devonshire Rec on Thursday. With some of the players complaining of hamstring soreness after being forced into an additional 30 minutes, the coach has arranged a training session to ascertain fitness levels.

“We’re having a session on Saturday to assess where they are fitness-wise before we come up with tactics for the match against St George’s,” Jones told The Royal Gazette.

“We had one or two players that were feeling something in the hamstring area. We have to be sure if we have any real hamstring problems or if it was just cramp.

“It’s another big game on Sunday. St George’s are in a good space; they beat the league champions the other night. I know they’re coming with more energy, so we have to make sure that the boys have fresh legs going into that match.

“We’re happy with where we are in the league; all we have to do is to stay consistent in whatever we do.”

Village go out in search of their sixth league win in a row when they face Paget at Southampton Oval. Calvin Dill Jr’s side have not dropped points since a shock 3-1 loss to Social Club on September 30.

In five matches, the Rams have fired 18 goals past the opposition, while the defence has been breached only three times.

Despite being on a roll, with Thursday’s victory over Colts being his team’s sixth on the spin, Dill wants to remain humble and not get carried away. Being drawn in the Friendship Trophy preliminaries has resulted in a fixture pile-up for the Rams, as tomorrow’s match will be their third in a week.

“Everybody is just enjoying themselves and enjoying the ride,” Dill said. “We just have to stay humble with our feet on the ground, and keep pushing forward.

“The game is played on the field, so I can’t worry about Paget’s results. I have to make sure that my team stays focused on the job at hand.

“We’re not taking any team lightly because every team is going to come out gunning for a team that’s on top.

“We have to stay humble and respect the game of football. PHC might have lost two games in a row now, but that’s not a team to count out because before you know it, they’re on your tail.”

In the absence of Jonté Smith, who was a spectator for the Friendship Trophy match, Amir Dill stepped up. A product of the club’s junior programme, the 19-year-old scored his first hat-trick at senior level.

“I coached him at a younger age and he’s a humble player,” the Village interim coach said. “He’s enjoying the experience around him, with the likes of Jai Bean and Tre Ming giving him guidance.”

PHC, with two losses in a row, will be seeking a return to winning ways against Social Club.

Coach Quincy Hunt has vowed to bounce back, stating that they were similar situations on their way to winning the title last season.

In the only match scheduled for this afternoon, the bottom two teams square off, as Wolves take on Hamilton Parish.

The weekend got off to a wet start last night, with the scheduled fixture between Devonshire Cougars and Dandy Town called off because of a waterlogged pitch at Devonshire Recreation Club.

Royal Gazette has implemented platform upgrades, requiring users to utilize their Royal Gazette Account Login to comment on Disqus for enhanced security. To create an account, click here.

You must be Registered or to post comment or to vote.

Published November 30, 2024 at 8:00 am (Updated December 01, 2024 at 7:16 am)

Colts derby takes centre stage

Users agree to adhere to our Online User Conduct for commenting and user who violate the Terms of Service will be banned.