John’s hat-trick leads Madhia 5-0 rout of Paramakatoi
Digicel Schools Football Championship
Digicel Representative Shawn Weatherspoon hands over the winning trophy and new uniforms to Captain of Madhia Secondary Travis following the completion of the final on Saturday
-Region 10 final on today at Wisburg
Host Madhia led by a hat-trick from Elsword John (51st, 53rd, 66th) and a brace from Iarun Douglas (78th, 85th) eliminated Paramakatoi from this year’s Digicel Schools Football Championship following a 5-0 crushing on Saturday, at the Campbelltown Playfield in Region 8.
Playing in front of a large flow of supporters, the homesters struggled to penetrate the airtight Paramakatoi defence in the opening period and went to the break frustrated after creating many chances to take the lead.
However, coming out in the final period, they made some changes with Douglas being pushed up front to support John and that made all the difference.
John opened their account six minutes after the resumption when he latched on to a ball played from the right side to the left flank and he fired what seemed to be a tame shot at goal only to see the ball elude the goalkeeper’s grasp and bounce over the goalline.
Two minutes later another poor attempt by the goalkeeper gifted Madhia their second goal this time from a corner taken from the right side that found the head of John and the custodian stationed between the uprights once again fumbled the ball, causing it to trickle over the goalline for the host second goal.
Not content with his afternoon’s work John was back in action in the 66th minute, but this time his ripping header from a corner would have given the best of goalkeepers no chance as it was directed with pace into the far corner for a 3-0 lead.
Douglas all the while was playing provider, weaving in and out of the opposition defence with alarming frequency and it was one such
Part of the action in the Region 8 final between Madhia Secondary (red uniforms) and Paramakatoi on Saturday
occasion that he penetrated deep and hammered a fierce right-footer into the roof of the net to make it 4-0 after seventy-eight minutes of play.
Buoyed by the comfort of a 4-0 lead, Madhia played with more freedom and even made a number of substitutions as they looked ahead and not risk injuries to their marquee players.
John was substituted, but Douglas remained to continue his torment of the Paramakatoi defence and he netted his second in the 85th minute when he received a pass from the left flank played down the centre and he fired past the stranded keeper to make it 5-0 a scoreline that would remain until the final whistle sounded much to the jubilation of their supporters.
Meanwhile, the Region 10 final between defending champion Christianburg / Wismar and Kwakwani is set for today, at the Wisburg ground in Linden.
