Glenmuir’s big win a good warm-up for second round

GLENMUIR HIGH School’s coach Andrew Peart made it clear that his team was “ready” for the next phase of the ISSA/ daCosta Cup following a workmanlike 5-0 beating of Denbigh High in their final Zone M fixture at Denbigh yesterday.

The win, Glenmuir’s seventh of the campaign, sees them ending the group stage as table toppers with 22 points, six more than second-place Central High, who joins them in the second round of the competition.

Denbigh High, who finished the group in third place with 10 points, were always under the cosh from the visiting Glenmuir side, who sought to solidify their playing style ahead of the business end of the competition.

It took just three minutes for the opening goal when Nyron Allen rifled in a right-footed shot from inside the area to the bewilderment of Denbigh custodian Tyrece Howell.

That early goal seemed too easy for the visiting side, who toyed with their opponents for more than half an hour before they notched a second.

That goal came courtesy of Orane Watson, who took Deandre Johnson’s pass in his stride and spanked a bullet past Howell in the 40th minute.

Just before the halftime whistle, Glenmuir made it 3-0, when livewire David Reid finished off some more slick passing inside the Denbigh area.

With the comfortable lead, Peart decided to ring in the changes, which allowed players returning from injury to get some much-needed game time.

Such was the comfortable nature of the game, goalkeeper Antwone Gooden was given a run out on the left side of the defence.

But it was Watson who would get his double and Glenmuir’s fourth goal in the 60th minute, after which one of the substitutes, Sheldon Battiste wrapped up the scoring seven minutes from time.

For Peart, the team is shaping up nicely, and from here on in, it will be all about performance from the Clarendon-based outfit.

“We are backing ourselves to perform. The key thing is that on the day, we play with the right intensity and the right team spirit that will allow us to get the job done.”