TG face Georges in DPL first-round final

Saturday, November 21, 2009 8:35 AM

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Sport

by Livingston Scott Observer staff reporter

Sunday, November 08, 2009

After making history with their first-ever qualification for a major national final, St Georges Sport Club from Portland will try to go one better by topping Digicel Premier League champions Tivoli Gardens in the first End-of-Round final at the National Stadium this evening, starting at 7:00.

The Braxton Hyre-coached St Georges have surprised the traditional big teams with victories against Waterhouse, Arnett Gardens and Portmore United and drawing with Harbour View and Boys' Town at home.

Their only defeat in the first round came at the hands of Tivoli a few weeks ago. But although Tivoli won that match-up, coach Lenworth Hyde believes they could be in for a long afternoon against the first-time finalists.

"We expect a tough game from them, being that they are on par with us on points... They're the best defensive team and we have the best attack... so it sets up for an intriguing and exciting game," Hyde declared.

"But we're going out there positive and I know they'll be coming out to give us a fight because it's the first they have ever reached this far," he added.

Although the goals have flowed for Tivoli, with 22 so far this season, Hyde insists they will have to perform at both ends of the field if they are to cop the $250,000 first-prize money and the trophy. The losing finalist will walk away with $150,000.

"We have to prevent goals from scoring on us; we have to have a clean-sheet throughout the game because (St Georges) is a team that if they score on you it will be hard to score against them.

Hyde said is team is oozing confidence and although they had a few back-to-back games recently that took a toll on his players they are refreshed and raring to go.

"We also want to win this one for Oraine Simpson because we went there last season with him and we lost, so this year we will try our best to make up to him...," he stated.

Tivoli's Roland Dean was injured during training yesterday and will have to pass a late fitness test to comfirm his participation today.

St Georges coach Hyre, meanwhile, described his team's achievement to date as a great one, noting that victory today would improve their respectability even more in the competition.

"The intention is to win because we've never been there before... but we always try to do our thing because we're confident... that we can get the job done.

And like Hyde, Hyre said winning trophies is important and he would like to add this to the St Georges trophy cabinet.

"We're in a final and you always try and win any final that you are in because you never know if you might get the chance again. So being here, our aim is to win, but our ultimate goal is to win the league," he contends.

"Tivoli are playing well and they have been the best team in terms scoring goals, although they have given up a lot of goals," he added.

Hyre is hoping his well organised defence, which has only been breached three times in 11 matches this season, will be able to keep Tivoli at bay even while they seek the go-ahead goal.

"It won't be an easy game because they have competent strikers in Roland Dean, (Navion) Boyd and (Keammar) Daley, plus they have several players that can score... ," he conceded.

Hyre also warned that the team that makes the least number of mistakes and capitalises on the other team's mistakes will come out on top.

"This is going to be a ding-dong battle as one team is good in defence and the other in attack, so it's up to who makes the least mistakes... but we hope to continue defying the odds because no one thought we could get here... We have the confidence that we can get the job done," he declared.

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