Heights, Club Stars score upset wins in St James football
MONTEGO BAY, St James — Heights FC and Club Stars scored upset penalty kick wins over Melbourne Mind Game and Seba FC to advance to the second round of the St James Football Association Captain’s Bakery and Grill Knockout competition.
Heights FC and Melbourne Mind Game played out a 2-2 draw at the UDC field before winning 5-4 on penalty kicks, while at the Wyndham field, Club Stars and Seba FC finished 1-1 before Club Stars won 4-3 in a shoot-out.
They joined Paradise FC and Firehouse SC, who had won their games on Monday, in the draw for the second round.
At the UDC Field in the game between two semi-finalists from last season, Chevon Allen scored both goals for Heights FC, who came from a goal down and took the lead before Melbourne Mind Game rallied late to draw the game in regulation time.
Anthony Gooden gave Melbourne Mind Game the lead in the 24th minute, but Allen equalised in the 27th minute then shot them into the lead in the 55th minute when the Melbourne Mind Game goalkeeper fumbled a header right under the cross bar.
Oneil Taylor then scored in the 73rd minute to pull Melbourne Mind Game level and after neither team managed to break the deadlock, penalties were used to decide the winners.
At Wyndham, Club Stars came back from a goal down to win on penalties after Stephen Forester had given Seba FC the lead in the third minute of play.
Mario Leslie equalised for the home team in the 37th minute but neither team found the winner even in extra time as Club Stars won 4-3 in the shoot-out.
On Monday, Simon Collins scored a hat-trick as Paradise FC hammered Copperwood FC 7-2 at Green Pond High, while at the UDC field Firehouse FC with two goals from Rohan Cole eliminated Providence FC at the first hurdle.
Seven goals were scored in the second half after Paradise FC led 2-0 at half time before the flood gates crashed open.
Tyrone McClarey who had a double, gave Paradise the lead in the 27th minute, while Collins added a second in the 44th minute, just before the half time break.
Tajmar Salmon made it 3-0 for Paradise in the 51st minute before Dwight Hibbert pulled one back for Copperwood in the 65th minute, but Collins got his second two minutes later and then completed his hat-trick in the 72nd minute to make the score 5-1.
Alex Smith made it 6-1 in the 70th minute, Romaine Jackson got a second for Copperwood in the 79th before McClarey got Paradise FC’s seventh in the 81st minute.
At UDC, Cole scored in the 37th and 50th minutes to send Firehouse to the second round ahead of Providence FC.