Glenmuir too good for Central in Clarendon derby

GLENMUIR HIGH School proved they will be a force to be reckoned with in this season’s ISSA/WATA daCosta Cup, with an emphatic 5-1 win over last year’s beaten finalist Central High School in their Zone L encounter at Glenmuir yesterday.

The fixture, expected to be the match of the round, saw Central starting more purposefully, displaying the brand of football that took them all the way to the final last year.

It took them just 11 minutes to get on the scoresheet through James Gallimore but the goal seemed to wake the sleeping Glenmuir, whose response was almost immediate.

Four minutes after the opening goal, Nyron Allen pulled Glenmuir level with a composed finish from inside the area. Glenmuir would go ahead in the 31st minute when Central conceded a penalty, converted by Kyle Gordon.

Despite losing their talismanic attacker Orane Watson to a hand injury, Glenmuir continued their onslaught, which would bear more fruit in the second half.

Deandre Johnson made it 3-1 in the 48th minute, after which, the pair of substitutes Tajuan Cummings and Derrick Henry sealed the emphatic win with goals in the 52nd and 69th minute, respectively.

Winning coach Andrew Peart summed up what was a crucial win against plucky opposition.

“The result is very important in a group stage, especially with both teams having some level of success last year. For us, it was about focusing on the game, despite going a goal behind. I loved the reaction after the goal plus the injury to Orane Watson,” said Peart.

Losing coach Jermain Douglas explained how a perfect start turned into a nightmare for his outfit.

“We got off to a really good start and I thought we were playing well in the first 15 minutes. My concern was that we would score early and then become complacent and, after we conceded the first goal, we never regained our composure.”

The win sees Glenmuir with the early lead in Zone L, with maximum points from their two games. Denbigh High are second with three points.

In the early game of the double-header at Glenmuir High, Vere Technical chalked up a 2-0 win over Kemps Hill High through goals from Jamarie Foster and an own goal from Robert Crawford.

Elsewhere, Maldon got by Green Pond 3-0, Cornwall College and Irwin played to a goalless draw, Manning’s got the better of Petersfield 1-0, Dinthill hammered Ewarton 6-1, McGrath tagged Enid Bennett 1-0, while Garvey Maceo spanked Tacious Golding 8-0.