Draw puts end to Wadadah midseason hopes
MONTEGO BAY, St James — Former champions and last season’s beaten finalists Wadadah FC came up short in their quest for a place in Sunday’s midseason finals of the Jamaica Football Federation Charley’s JB Rum Western Confederation Super League after being held to a 0-0 draw by Sandals Whitehouse in their rescheduled second-round game at Jarrett Park on Wednesday.
Wadadah FC needed to win the game to qualify for the consolation final against fellow St James club Granville FC, but their draw left them on 18 points and second in Zone Two to promoted Clarks Town who will now contest tomorrow’s game.
Despite losing to Beaches Negril on Sunday, Clarks Town are top of Zone Two with 19 points and will face Granville FC, who lead Zone One with 25 points.
Both teams needed the win for their own reasons. For their part, Sandals Whitehouse were winless in their two previous games, earning one point with the flood of goals from the league-leading scorer Akeem Shackleford seemingly drying up, while Wadadah FC had their eyes firmly on the midseason game and had won their previous three games.
Good scoring chances were created by both teams, but it was Shackleford who came closest in the first half when he almost made the home team pay for a defensive error.
The former Jamaica College and Cavalier SC frontman dispossessed a Wadadah FC defender, and with goalkeeper Ryheem Cole at his mercy, he chipped the ball off the top of the crossbar.
Okieffe Brown had a chance to put Wadadah FC ahead in the 25th minute, but his shot from just outside the six-yard box went tamely to the Sandals Whitehouse goalkeeper.
The energetic Ronaldo McLeish earned a corner after a brilliant solo effort on the 36th minute, darting through three defenders and Christopher Curry curled the ball on to the top of the far left post.
Wadadah FC made a double change in the 65th minute, inserting attacking players Damion Reid and Curtis Palmer as they tried to increase their chances, but it was Cole who was forced to make some desperate saves to keep the St James club in the game.
Cole had to use his boot to deflect a shot from Shackleford for a corner late in the game, and minutes later, he blocked a shot from substitute Dervin Campbell.
Robert Lewis had the last real chance to put Wadadah FC ahead, but his shot from midway the 18-yard box went directly to the Sandals Whitehouse custodian.