Laing’s hat-trick powers STATHS to 4-1 win
Published:Saturday | December 11, 2021 | 12:10 AMDaniel Wheeler/Staff Reporter
St Andrew Technical High’s (STATHS) ISSA/Manning Cup quarter-final entry may have been fortuitous, but yesterday they laid down the challenge to the rest of their quarter-final group with a strong offensive display.
An Omar Laing hat-trick in the 18th, 36th and 77th minutes, respectively, along with Omar Reid’s 75th minute strike powered STATHS to a 4-1 victory over St Catherine High in their opening Group One quarter-final game yesterday at Stadium East.
Dwight Gentles provided the consolation goal for St Catherine.
STATHS were late additions to the field after Camperdown and Tivoli High were expelled from the competition because of fielding ineligible players. With their new lease on life, the Phillip Williams-coached STATHS took advantage of the opportunity which he felt was their best game of the season to date.
“We have been playing well all season but today it was a more complete game in all departments and we were able to score four goals against a very good St Catherine team,” Williams said.
While quick to temper talk of a title run with a relatively young core, Williams said that they are embracing the role of having no pressure on them given their quarter-final place and are concentrating on playing the best football they can.
“These three matches we have them as the boys enjoying themselves with a deep run in the competition. It’s the first season for all of them and to get a quarter-final win will go a long way in terms of their confidence,” Williams said.
After opening proceedings in the 18th minute Laing got his double nine minutes before half-time with a blistering drive from inside the box that gave St Catherine goalkeeper Croccifixio Thompson no chance.
FAILED ATTEMPT TO SCORE
The Anthony Patrick-coached St Catherine weren’t without their opportunities in the first half, but saw an effort sail over the bar and a volley from Rolando Redmann go wide of the net as they failed again to get off to a good start.
While they normally pride themselves on being a secondhalf team, St Catherine could not muster any clear chances after the restart. Patrick lamented their first-half struggles which for him have become a disturbing trend.
“This was the worst one out of all of them. We paid dearly for it. The second half we put a little punch here and there but the bad start we had killed us,” Patrick said. “The early goals from the first half really took a toll on them.”
St Catherine had their first shot on target four minutes from full-time. Substitute Dwight Gentles managed to get past the STATHS defence and fired home. Gentles had an opportunity to make things uncomfortable for STATHS in the 88th minute when he got past the STATHS defence again but goalkeeper Jahiem Palmer thwarted the danger eliminating any slim hope of a comeback.
Before then, Reid fired home STATHS’s third in the 75th minute finishing off Laing’s low cross into the box and the latter would complete his hat-trick three minutes later.