Teams on hunt for Clarendon KO semis
NEW BOWENS, Clarendon — The last two semi-final spots in the Claro/Clarendon Knock-out football competition will be filled today with the playing of a quarter-final double-header at New Bowens Community Centre.
In the first game at 1:00 pm, Division One outfit Comfort face their biggest test yet in Super League contenders Monymusk FC, while in the feature game two hours later, last season’s Major League champions New Bowens play surprise package York Town.
The four are jostling to join Premier League outfits Sporting Central Academy and Humble Lion in the final four of the competition.
Both teams, who fielded mostly Under-21 players, had on Monday sealed their semi-final berths in contrasting style at Effortville — Sporting easing past Ebony Stars 6-0 and Humble Lion rallying for a 3-1 win over Spartan Athletic.
In the first game, Sporting lived up to expectations as they raced into a 4-0 half-time lead, with Hughan hitting a hat-trick and Dwight Dunk scoring the other.
Second-half substitutes Keithy Simpson and Sheldon Davis completed the rout for the defending champions with late strikes after Ebony Stars came close to grabbing a consolation goal.
Hosts Humble Lion had to work harder for their victory as after getting off to a decent start, they were stunned by Jerome Willis’ tame 30-yard free-kick which goalkeeper Damion Crooks allowed to trickle between his legs in dramatic fashion.
But just nine minutes later, they were back on level terms when Michael Moreland scored a sweet diving header into the lower right-hand corner of the goal.
Peter Brown then converted from the penalty spot after a foul on the diminutive Moreland to complete his team’s turn-around in the 38th minute, before substitute Kenny Lee sealed the win with a deflected ‘pile driver’ in the 68th.