Reno win, but Sandals SC satisfied

Football fans in Westmoreland got their first taste of what promises to be a long and interesting rivalry between the parish's two Premier League teams on Sunday when perennial contender FC Reno clipped newcomer Sandals South Coast 1-0 in a friendly clash at the Frome Sports Ground.

However, while the Reno fans left the venue claiming bragging rights, Aaron 'Wild Boy' Lawrence, the coach of Sandals South Coast, said he was satisfied with his team's performance, as bragging rights was not a part of their objective going into the game.

"I am satisfied with the result. This was not about bragging rights, it was about testing out a few things we have been working on in training," said Lawrence, who is a former Reggae Boyz goalkeeper. "I believe we achieved our objective."

In regard to the team's overall performance against the more seasoned FC Reno aggregation, Lawrence said he thought his players acquitted themselves quite well, especially in the first half, which he thought they dominated.

"We played a fantastic first half, as we basically controlled the flow of the game," said Lawrence. "In the second half, we put out 11 new players and that was when Reno scored the lone goal they got."

This is the first season that Sandals South Coast will be playing in the island's top football competition. Lawrence said his first objective is to secure a top-six finish, which will earn him a place in the league for the following season, when he hopes they will become a legitimate title contender.

"We will be giving 100 per cent in every game and that should give us at least a top-six finish ... . If we are able to go all the way, we would gladly take that," said Lawrence. "Retaining our place in the league for next season is our main focus at this time."