Clarendon College lifted their fifth ISSA Ben Francis Cup knockout competition title when they defeated bitter rivals Cornwall College 2-1 yesterday in a thrilling encounter at the National Stadium.
Nayar Anderson’s (10th minute) and Nicholy Francis’s (72nd) goals proved the deciding factor for Clarendon as they marched to their first hold on the title since 2017.
Mekhi Foster’s (15th) equalising strike had proven to be a consolation effort at full time.
Devon Anderson, head coach of Clarendon, was a happy figure after the game as it was his first schoolboy football title after close calls with Holy Trinity High and Hydel High in the Manning Cup.
Anderson praised his team for their performance, saying they had pledged to end the season with a trophy, particularly after the school’s trophy-less campaign last year.
“It means a great deal. I’ve been knocking on the door for an oh so long time and it finally opened now, it finally kicked off,” he said.
“I’m trying to find a word to explain their performance; it was gutsy, never-say-die mentality, go hard or go home and we planned this year that we weren’t going home empty-handed.”
Clarendon opened the scoring in the first 10 minutes of the contest when Anderson was on hand to slot home an initially parried shot from Rwanie Rampasaul who had broken through on goal.
They found themselves pegged back when Cornwall found the equaliser just five minutes later.
Foster was in the right place at the right time to pick up a loose ball and let fly a volley from outside the box that flew into the back of the net.
Clarendon should have retaken the lead in the 32nd minute from a corner routine but a double save from goalkeeper Carlyle Tinglin kept the score level.
Clarendon came into the second half with renewed purpose and again came close to retaking the lead when Dameon Simms forced a fingertip save from Tinglin in the 72nd.
They got their second goal from the resulting corner, as Forbes’ glancing effort from an inswinging cross found the back of the net.
Forbes’ header proved to be the deciding factor as neither team could find another goal despite chances.
Hector Wright, Cornwall’s head coach, felt a lapse in discipline proved the architect of their downfall and said the match could have gone either team’s way.
“The game was decided in the second half,” he said.
“It was a game of two halves. Clarendon had more possession in the first half and my team, in the second half, came out much better.”
He continued, “If we had maintained our discipline a little bit more, probably the result would have been different.”
