DAMIAN English wrote his name in the history books when he became the first player to score in the rebranded Kingston and St Andrew Football Association (KSAFA) Championship League, earning Barbican a 1-0 win over Brown’s Town at the UWI-JFF Captain Horace Burrell Centre of Excellence on Sunday.

Playing on the right flank, the left-footed player produced a sublime finish when he cut the ball from his right onto his left foot and curled it past Alphanso Clacken in the Brown’s Town goal. As the ball nestled in the far corner, English turned and celebrated wildly.

“I feel wonderful! It’s like a Riyad Marhez finish,” he said of his match winner as he grinned from ear to ear.

But before he hit the target, English had spurned a much easier chance early in the contest, something he said didn’t bother him at the time.

“No, it didn’t [bother me] because I know I would get more opportunities,” he explained.

English was also excited to help win the $40,000 bonus for his team, an amount guaranteed to each team that wins a match this season.

“It’s a tremendous feeling. I am very excited and I am glad for the win because [it was] worse when I hear about the funds so yes, it’s really good for me and the team.”

Barbican’s win on Sunday came against the backdrop of the team having prepared for less than a week for the game. English said that the match strategy is what helped to earn them the victory.

“[Coach] said, since we are not in condition we should just stay behind the ball and see if we can hit them on the counter — and we did that.”

He has set his sights on the Golden Boot and leading his team to success in this shortened season during which the teams will play each other over just one round before the play-offs begin.

“I want to see if I can be the leading goalscorer of the competition and also win the matches for the club,” he expressed.

Barbican are likely to come in for a sterner test when they face Liguanea on July 24th.

— Dwayne Richards