Before Sunday’s Gros Islet Football League “Spider Cup” final, for me death taxes and Super J Northern United winning another Gros Islet title were the only guarantees in life. Well folks, a Northern championship is no longer a sure thing.
After winning the championship for seven consecutive years, Northern finally met their match. Orion which in Greek mythology stands for mythological giant, squashed their nemesis 3-0 on Sunday at the jam packed Gros Islet Playing Field.
Despite being shutout, Northern had their chances. However, Orion custodian Ray Demille who snagged the Best Goalkeeper Award, stopped everything that came in his way and occasionally had lady luck on his side. But as they say in sports you have to be good to be lucky and he was all that.
Orion who many viewed as underdogs despite going undefeated in league play, had the support of a large crowd who seemed eager to see Northern tumble from their pedestal.
To their delight Orion went ahead 1-0 in the ninth minute. That’s when Rafferty Nolien did some fancy footwork on the right side to elude a Northern defender. He then fired a shot inside the box that Dwayne Christophe neatly put past the keeper.
Trailing 1-0 heading into the second half, Northern went on the attack but never could score the equalizer. Instead it was Orion who made the best of their opportunities. Vad Daniel who was named MVP for the Tournament scored
two goals putting the game out of reach for Northern.
For Manager/President of the Orion Football Club, Jennifer Gaston, it seemed like an eternity waiting for this glorious moment.
The Grand Dame of Gros Islet football was on cloud nine as she spoke to the media while surrounded by players and well wishers.
“We are very happy, we are overjoyed. Believe it or not we did not lose a game in this tournament,” said Gaston. “We thought it was time we took back the reins. Before Northern we won the trophy three times straight and plan on doing the same thing.”
Manager of Northern United, Cuthbert Elisee, felt his team deserved a better fate and losing was a bitter pill to swallow.
“Naturally this is not the outcome we expected but we have to accept defeat,” said Elisee. “On the night they were luckier than us, not better. We are far superior to them. The goals just didn’t want to go in.”
Was his team over confident? Elisse agreed saying: “some of the players especially the younger ones were celebrating the victory before they actually played. That was one of the things that really came to haunt us.”
During a much disorganized prize giving that followed, besides awards being presented to Daniel (MVP) and Best Goalkeeper (Demille), the Fair Play Award went to Marina Massive.
The third place playoff scheduled to take place prior to the final was not played. That’s because the assigned referee called the game off due to the late arrival of the Sea View. The points and third place was then awarded to Glace GMC.
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