Paget 0 St George’s 2

St George’s Colts played to a comfortable victory over a toothless Paget Lions outfit in this preliminary round of the Friendship Trophy match at PHC Field last night.

St George’s progressed thanks to two wildly contrasting goals, with Nzari Paynter opening the scoring in the 21st courtesy of a screamer from 30 yards which left Lions goalkeeper Omari DeShields clutching at thin air. Blaiz Hall scored midway through the second half with a simple tap-in.

After going a goal up, St George’s continued to impress as Jarazinho Bassett laid the ball into the path of Malachi Trott only for DeShields to dive full length to save his drive.

Minutes later, Bassett was first to respond to a deflected effort but DeShields again denied him by advancing to block his shot.

Shakir Smith should have found an equaliser for Paget after he eluded a sliding tackle to go through on goal but was denied by onrushing St George’s goalkeeper Tahj Bell.

Paget started the second half with aggression and nearly scored when Delray Rawlins’ headed downwards from a Diaje Hart corner, but Bell was positioned to push the ball around the post.

St George’s doubled their lead as Blaiz Hall took advantage of an Ajani Lee back-pass to beat DeShields in a race to the loose ball before tapping into an empty net.

Later in the game, the East Enders nearly had a third but DeShields advanced to make a point-blank one-handed save after Hall was put through on goal.

Scorers

St George’s: Paynter 21, B Hall 78

Paget (4-2-3-1): O DeShields 7 — M Basden 5 (sub: K Knights, 52min 5), D Rawlins 6, S Lambert 6, N Carpenter 5 (sub: K Hypolite, 71) — R Russell 5, A Lee 6 — D Dill 5, D Hart 6 (sub: O Tucker, 71) A Butterfield 5 (sub: M Emery, 52 5) — S Smith 6. Substitutes not used: D Dill, K Richardson

St. George’s (4-2-3-1): T Bell 6 — J Schroder 6, O Bascome 6, C Neal 6, N Paynter 7 — L Evans 6, K Hall 6 — B Hall 7, M Trott 6, Z McGuire — J Bassett 6. Substitutes not used: T Hall, A Foy, I Greaves, J Darrell, M Simmons, I Gibbons.

Referee: M Wyer