Wolmer’s swamp Little London 6-0 on back of Gooden’s three-timer
Wolmer’s Boys’ knocked the wind out of Little London High with a 6-0 beating as they steamrolled their way into the second round of the 2016 staging of the Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA)/FLOW Super Cup competition at Sabina Park on Friday night.
Alphanso Gooden netted a three-timer in minutes 39, 52 and 64, and was supported by Rivaldo English’s brace in the 78th and 90th+3 minutes. Andrew Daley (10th) got the other in a comprehensive display in the feature contest of the double-header, after Excelsior High had earlier strolled past Ocho Rios High 5-0 in the curtain-raiser.
Wolmer’s Boys’ thus progressed to the second round which will see them meeting the winner of yesterday’s Kingston College versus Vere Technical encounter in the quarter-final bracket.
The Heroes’ Circle-based team justified its favouritism in the lopsided contest on the scoresheet, but they did not have it all their way, as the young Westmoreland-based team briefly held sway in the early exchanges.
However, Wolmer’s broke loose on the counter and a cheeky one-touch pass from Gooden released Daley in on goal, and the latter made no mistake by calmly placing his shot into the left-hand corner of the net.
The goal seemingly dampened the spirits of Little London, which allowed Wolmer’s to dictate the pace of the game and they went close to doubling the lead four minutes before the half-hour mark, but custodian Clifford Clarke proved equal to Gooden’s firmly struck right-footed shot from the top of the box.
Gooden eventually got on the scoresheet when he stepped up to convert from the 12-yard spot to put Wolmer’s 2-0 up at the break, after English’s shot from outside the box was handled inside the area by a retreating defender.
Any plans of a comeback from Little London were put beyond doubt seven minutes on the resumption when Gooden notched his second from close range. And the towering striker completed the triple four minutes past the hour mark, with a sublime effort in taking down the ball on his chest before firing a firm shot on the volley, leaving Clarke no chance in goal.
With Wolmer’s up 4-0, slight drizzle from the night’s sky ironically signalled the opening of the floodgates and English led the charge in the latter stages of the contest.
Some tidy glovework from Clarke briefly denied Wolmer’s a fifth, which inevitably came when English fired home a beautiful strike from an angle.
He was at it again, slotting home from close range in time added after his sweetly struck free kick from 20 yards out was tipped over by Clarke, and the resulting corner saw the ball landing in his path.
Winning coach, Vassel Reynolds applauded his team for what he described as a “good overall performance” in both attack and defence, while his counterpart Jeffery Reece believed a lack of experience proved the undoing of his young team.