Joe Public dethrone ToppXX to lift K&S Trophy
…second foreign club to capture title
By Isaiah Chappelle
Guyana Chronicle
January 3, 2007
JOE Public of Trinidad & Tobago became the second foreign club to capture the Kashif & Shanghai football championship title, with a second half goal to dethrone Bakewell Topp XX on New Year’s Day at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground, Linden.
In the third place play-off, city league champions Alpha United whipped a toothless Western Tigers, 6-0, in a lack luster affair.
One glaring lapse in Topp XX defence in the 41st minute, cost the Linden club the title and $800 000 first prize package and the chance to hold on to the tournament’s second lien trophy for keeps.
Joe Public got past Romain Haynes on the left wing on several occasions and this time Linden Andrews reached about 30 metres from the goalline, sent a long diagonal ball to the right and an unmarked Glasgow simply patted the ball into the empty goal for the lone an winning goal.
He was awarded the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of final prizes for his effort, while teammate Andrews was voted the Best Mid-fielder and was ajudged the tournament’s MVP.
In other awards, Richard Reynolds of Topp XX was the tournament’s Best Goalkeeper and Charles Pollard the Best Defence Player.
Anthony Abrams of Alpha United got the Fastest Goal prize, scored in 33 seconds in the match against Santos on Christmas Day at Blairmont Community Centre ground. The record of 20 seconds remained intact, scored by Collie Hercules in the 1996/1997 final against Pele.
Topp XX’s Curth Murphy received the Most Spectacular Goal prize for his heroics against BV/Triumph, racing with the ball on the left wing from the half-way line, slotting in the goal on the run from ten metres.
The five-time champions gave good account of themselves against Trinidad & Tobago’s reigning professional team, seemingly controlling the run of and offering good build-ups. Topp XX boasted professional players, National captain Charles Pollard in defence, team captain Kayode McKinnon in mid-field and goalkeeper Reynolds.
However, Joe Public’s coach Michael McComie told the media that the only difference in the two teams was the intensity of play.
“They could not sustain the intensity. We are accustomed to play 90 intense minutes in the professional league, but were surprised that after 25 minutes, the teams here were giving us space. But they played what we expected.”
He said he saw them in the semifinals and there was not much Topp XX could change for the final, likewise for his team.
“We were happy we did not concede any goals in the tournament. We conceded the least goals in the professional league.”
Topp XX went close to equalising, 22 minutes into the second half. McKinnon collected the ball at 25 metres out, raced into the box, shot from 12 metres but the goalkeeper dived to clutch ball to safety.
Both teams utilised all their changes but no more goals materialised and Topp XX got the $350 000 second prize.
The only other foreign to win the champions were Doc’s Khelwalaas, also, of Trinidad & Tobago professional league.
Earlier, Western Tigers looked a far cry from the team that played up the semifinals, playing without regular goalkeeper Rollox Scott who was out with red card from the semis and mid-fielder Dwight Peters.
Alpha’s guest player, Jamaican Oneke Forde blasted a hat trick, while Abrams and defence players Walter Moore and Anthony Harding tucked in one each.
The first goal came in the 22nd minute from Forde and Abrams got his, ten minutes later for Alpha to lead 2-0 at half time.
Forde open the floodgates in the 61st minute, with Moore following up with a spectacular head-shot just in front of the hapless goalkeeper, six minutes later.
The Jamaican completed his triple in the 70th minute and Harding added his name in the 86th minute to sealed the victory and claim to $230 000, while the Tigers settled for the $150 000 fourth prize.