Vauxhall celebrate victory in INSPORTS Challenge Cup
Vauxhall High School claimed a significant, moral-boosting win ahead of the start of the ISSA schoolboy football season when they defeated Holy Trinity High in the final of the Insports Challenge Cup at Stadium East Field last Friday.
The Vauxhall players held their nerve to score a 4-2 penalty shoot-out win to become the first school — other than St Catherine High — to etch their name on the trophy, while the outgoing champions claimed third place when they defeated Hydel High 3-0, also on penalties.
The Keon Broderick-coached Vauxhall have improved their performances during the competition and were their usual disciplined selves in the final, as they were able to nullify the attacking threat of the skillful Holy Trinity team.
With chances at a premium in both halves it was no surprise that the game went down to penalties, and it was the boys from East Kingston who emerged victorious to celebrate in the preseason tournament.
Broderick was delighted that his team was able to go all the way.
“This is important for us in terms of the preparation going into the season because we have had some valuable game time. The Insports Challenge Cup is run similar to the ISSA Manning Cup, and the boys have gotten a very good test of what they will see in the Manning Cup competition,” he said.
Broderick was pleased with the way his boys executed the game based on tactical instructions.
“As usual, we were tactically disciplined. In the first half we asked them to utilise the width of this spacious Stadium East Field — they did so somewhat. Then we shifted in terms of the objective in the second half, which was to be more penetrative and more direct. They did so and we were able to create at least two more clear-cut chances in the second half. Unfortunately, we didn’t score either of them.”
He disclosed that his team was fully prepared for the challenge from 12 yards.
“The penalty kicks we practised every single day in the week before the finals, just in case we were to go down to penalty kicks — and the boys delivered,” Broderick said.
Holy Trinity coach Devon Anderson was disappointed with the second-half display of his boys, but happy for the preparation the tournament provided on the eve of the start of the Manning Cup competition.
“This is the first time that we have lost to Vauxhall. In the first half we got numerous chances to score but didn’t take any. We came out lacklustre in the second half and we didn’t create any real chances, hence we lost in the penalty shoot-out.
“It was a good competition for our preparation for the season. This is our third preseason competition that we entered; we have been to three finals, we lost two, and won one,” he noted.
Hydel High will be kicking themselves after they let a two-goal lead slip against St Catherine High when the third-place game ended 2-2 in regulation time before they went on to lose the game from the spot.
— Dwayne Richards