Thorpe sure Savannah will keep Wadadah at bay

WESTERN BUREAU:

The return-leg final of the Charley's JB Rum Western Confederation Super League set for this Saturday at the Frome Sports Complex is interestingly poised, after Savannah SC edged Wadadah FC 1-0 yesterday in the first leg at Jarrett Park.

The only goal of the contest came off Wadadah's captain, Garfield Duncan, who inadvertently flipped the ball past his goalkeeper, Tristan Bernard, in the 23rd minute.

Savannah's skipper, Davion Thorpe, has laid down the gauntlet, as his team prepares to defend their razor-slim advantage.

"It is a good feeling to come here and win. They have a good team and the game was a bruising one, but we are confident that we can overcome this Wadadah side over both legs," said Thorpe.

"The job is only half done, so our attention is now on the return leg at home.

immense experience

The eventual champion will advance to the four-team all-island play-off, which qualified two teams to next season's Premier League.

The 25-year-old Thorpe, who has immense experience at the Premier League level - having played with Reno FC, Harbour View FC and Montego Bay United - feels he has a responsibility to lead his team to the title.

"We know how big it will be for the club to make it back to the Premier League. It has always been our aim. This is a step in the right direction and I am very happy to be playing my part in chasing this title and a return to the Premier League," said Thorpe, who was long ago drafted into the Reggae Boy squad as a teenager under former Brazilian technical director, Rene Simoes.

"This win puts us halfway there, but we have a full 90 minutes or more to get the job done. Hopefully at the end of Saturday's game we will be champions. We are planning for that," Thorpe added.

Wadadah were not at their best, having lost two players to key players to injury. But with the dangerous Tyshan Hill and Keneil Moodie, along with O'Brian Warren, they are not out of the running.

Daniel Ricketts, Wadadah's player/coach, admitted his players were a step behind Savannah, particularly in the first half. But they looked better in the second-half, especially after Savannah defender Neville Graham was sent off in the 64th minute. They however, found no luck in front of goal

"We lacked the effort up front today, but we are going to fix that for the return leg. We are a good team, and we expect to have a bad day at times. Now that we've had that bad day, we must go to Frome and have an exceptional day," Ricketts reasoned.