Barbican FC on course to defend Super League title
Barbican FC added some energy and commitment to their play at half-time to transform a goalless game into a comprehensive 3-0 semi-final victory over Real Mona FC, to remain on course to retaining the Magnum JN KSAFA Super League title.
Playing in the feature game of Sunday nights KSAFA semi-final double at Constant Spring Complex, Barbican, who had beaten Real Mona FC 1-0 and 2-0 earlier Zone match-ups, upped the tempo after the interval and romped past their rivals through a double strike from Andrew Christie (58th, 78th) and Tajahe Dixon’s (90+1) stoppage time finish.
“I think the performance was a good one. We were coming out of defence well, through midfield and pushing out wide to run the channels, which was what we told them at half-time,” said Winston Warren, a member of the Barbican FC coaching staff.
The ploy worked perfectly well as two of the three goals were headers off crosses.
One of the persons who responded mainly to that talking was Christie, who said they reaped just reward for their efforts.
“From week the team’s been working and I put out the work, made the sacrifice and it ended up paying off,” said Christie, whose team will play against Molynes United FC in Friday night’s final at Constant Spring, at 8:30 pm.
The Magnum JN KSAFA champion will earn a spot in the four-team national premier league play-offs, from which two will advance. Barbican barely missed out on a spot last season, after losing against Mount Pleasant in their final fixture.
As for Real Mona FC, they will have to do it all over next season. Their head coach, David Laylor, congratulated Barbican FC, but thought they were undone by tactical indiscipline.
“First and foremost, let us not take anything away from Barbican, they did well. They’ve been having the better of us from the season started,”said Laylor.
Meanwhile, Seaview Gardens FC defeated New Kingston FC 1-0 to advance to the final of the Magnum KSAFA Major League, which is the second tier Corporate Area football championship.
Lance DaCosta scored the all-important goal, that thrust his team into the final against Ian “Pepe” Goodison’s Olympic Gardens, also on Friday, at 6:00 pm. Both finalists also won promotion to next season’s Magnum JN KSAFA Super League.