Scotiabank clip Sagicor Group to secure interbank football title
Defending champions Scotiabank had to work hard to secure their 11th-straight Western Sports/Cable Pro Data Services-sponsored Norman Goodison Inter-Bank Football league title at the Bell/Chung playing field recently, as they clipped Sagicor Group 2-1.
In wet conditions, the champions adjusted well and were ahead in the 11th minute when Nicholas Scott’s cross was headed past goalkeeper John Brayn by Kevin Lamey, who got behind the defenders at the back post.
It was 2-0 in the 23rd minute as Shaqon Bryan dismissed two defenders and crossed to Nicholas Scott who headed past Bryan from close range. Sagicor reduced the deficit in the 30th minute when Andre Wilson’s powerful free kick from 30 metres out beat goalkeeper Damion Crooks to make it 2-1.
They should have scored a second goal, but Crooks pulled off two brilliant saves from Andre Powell and Najee Parson for the score to remain unchanged at the half.
Sagicor went in search of the equaliser in the second half, but Scotiabank defended stoutly with Rashane Garcia, Marlon Henry, Norwayne Knight and Ramoun Reid — who was returning to the team for the first time since a serious injury in the Red Stripe Premier League semi-final against Portmore United in May — ensuring that the Sagicor attackers Cuthbert Hyman, Andre Wilson and Andre Powell were kept at bay.
Scotiabank lost central defender Rashane Garcia in the 65th minute after he was shown his second yellow card, and immediately after that goalkeeper Crooks spilled a backpass from Omari Green which Cutbert Hyman collected, but with an empty goal in from of him, he squandered the opportunity.
Stand-in coach Donovan Hibbert said that the players were not going to lose this match on the day, as they had decided that they were dedicating this victory to their coach, Marcel “Fuzzy” Gayle, who took ill before the match and was carried to University Hospital of the West Indies by Assistant Coach Andrew Sewell.
In the curtain-raiser at Bell/Chung, JN Bank defeated Guardsman Group 6-0 to end second in the competition. Scorers for JN Bank were Jahair Minott (51st and 58th minute), Mark Arscott (15th), Chevon Smith (27th), Damaine Hall (49th), and Bryan Robinson (87th).
At NWC playing field in Mona, Bank Of Jamaica (BOJ) clipped NCB 2-1. Andre Campbell (sixth) and Dawyne Smith (33rd) scored for BOJ, while Kemar Golding got the consolation for NCB in the 89th minute.
