Sweeper keeper makes man-of-the-match nod a habit

IT ISN’T often that a goalkeeper is named man of the match in a game of football, let alone in two games consecutively.

Football is all about goalscoring and often it is the creators of those opportunities or the scorers themselves who get the plaudits.

But that doesn’t seem to be the case for Wray & Nephew Jamaica Premier League (JPL) team, Vere United, and their goalkeeper Rojae Williams.

Williams, playing in the first game of a doubleheader against Tivoli Gardens at Stadium East on Monday, was adjudged man of the match in a game Vere won 2-1. He was also man of the match on October 23, the last time the outfit played, when Vere earned a draw against Molynes United

Vere do not often get on the scoresheet more than once per 90 minutes, and so you would have thought that when they tallied two strikes against a Tivoli team, who were 3-0 winners in their first outing this season, the most valuable player from the game may have turned out to be a striker.

However, Williams was stunning.

Good saves, good positioning to snuff out dangerous attacks, and doing well on the ball when it was time for his team to use possession.

He was sublime in coming for crosses and his award could not be said to be unwarranted.

What was interesting, is Williams’ role. He is often far away enough from goal to get involved in the game when his team needs an outlet or when they are trying to stop one-on-ones unfolding.

That usually happens with a ball-playing team and not with one who doesn’t mind giving up possession and trying to effect smash and grabs. But Williams understands his role in a team like his.

“It’s all in my game. I can use both my feet, so I always use my feet to help me in my game,” said Williams post-match on Monday night.

The win gives Vere four points from two games. Those four points may not seem like a lot, but Vere now stand fifth on the JPL standing ahead of teams like Portmore United, Montego Bay United, and Tivoli.

“This win means a lot to Vere United. We had one week off and when we got back in training we worked very hard.

“The coach drilled us, he put us to work, so we had to come out and give Clarendon this win,” said Williams.

At 2-1 up, Vere United performed a masterclass in playing without the ball, as well as eating up valuable time when they had the ball.

“That’s all in the game,” said Williams, who could be counted as one of the chief architects of the team’s clock and game management.

A dive for a save, and Williams was down for the count, receiving treatment he likely never needed. On other occasions he walked around with the ball, falling on it at the very last moment before flopping on the object just ahead of an approaching tackle. After coming for a cross he would inexplicably fall to the turf and require a little ‘assistance’ to get back up. It was brilliant.

“You have to know how to manage the clock and choose your moments, how to lead your team from the back to the front to get the victory.”