First Waterhouse goal whets Leslie’s appetite

Seventeen-year-old schoolboy AndrÈ Leslie was the toast of Waterhouse Football Club on Sunday night as he guided them to a 2-1 win over Cavalier in the Red Stripe Premier League (RSPL).

The Holy Trinity High School Manning Cup player was the difference between the RSPL preseason favourites and champion for the underdogs, Cavalier Soccer Club.

Norman Bailey opened the scoring for visitors Cavalier in the 17th minute as they threatened to put the lights out on the home team. That was before the electric supply went on one half of the ground.

That break allowed the then hot Cavalier to get cold and upon the resumption they were a different team.

equaliser in the 73rd

Jermaine Anderson found the equaliser in the 73rd minute, just a minute after the resumption, before Leslie scored the winner in the 81st minute. It was his second touch of the game and he celebrated as if he had scored the World Cup winner.

"This is my first Premier League goal and I feel so happy about it. I have scored the first goal in the Premier League and it has given my team the victory. This is big. It means a lot to me," he said, before flashing a megawatt smile.

Sunday night's game was Leslie's fifth of the season, as he only became active in the Premier League at the end of the schoolboy football season. Having not hit the net before, he was becoming frustrated.

"I did expect to score and was planning to come off the bench and score. I've played four matches before, coming off the bench before and did not score, so it was time. I got chances before and this time I put it in the goal, and I am relieved as it was getting to me. I really wanted to score one to get that off my back," said the promising youngster, who turns 18 next month.

With just one more year of Manning Cup football to play, Leslie said he intends to learn as much as he can in the league from the more seasoned players so that he can really make his mark when he returns to schoolboy football next season. That, he said, will set him on his way of climbing to the highest rung of the ladder in the sport.

"I want to achieve a whole lot out of the sport so that I can play for the national team and play overseas. I also want to be able to take care of my family. This is my gift and I will continue to train hard to make sure that I make it," he stated.

Standings

Teams P W D L GF GA GD Pts

Arnett 20 14 2 4 37 22 14 44

MoBay 20 10 5 5 27 13 14 35

W. House 21 11 5 5 31 12 15 38

H View 21 9 7 5 28 20 8 34

Humble 21 8 5 8 21 19 2 29

Rivoli 21 8 5 8 31 33 -2 29

Tivoli 21 8 5 8 27 29 -2 29

Cavalier 21 6 6 9 13 15 -2 24

B. Town 21 6 5 10 22 31 -9 23

Sporting 21 6 3 12 23 34 -11 21

Reno 21 5 5 11 25 35 -10 20

Barbican 21 4 7 10 13 29 -18 19