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‘It’s more about the team’ - St George’s College’s four-goal hero says it’s all about teamwork
October 03, 2024
Despite scoring four of his team's goals, St George's College striker Matthew Spence said victory was achieved by way of a total team effort against Papine High in their ISSA Manning Cup football match at Winchester Park, St George's College, yesterday.
St George's College defeated Papine High School 5-0 to reclaim top spot in Zone G as they moved to 13 points, the same as St Catherine High. However, St George's goal difference of +24 is vastly superior to St Catherine's +15.
"The game plan was to come out and enjoy ourselves and do what we know best. Four goals, I mean, it's not just me. It's more about the team. They set me up and I just scored," Spence said.
The stocky forward netted in the seventh, 45th, 58th and 63rd minutes. Along with a 27th-minute goal from Paytom Larmond, Spence's goals carried the Neville 'Bertis' Bell-coached team to their fourth win in five matches.
Assistant coach Marcel Gayle thought their opponents showed much more discipline than their first meeting, which they won 10-0.
"They stayed behind the ball and applied a little more discipline. Nevertheless, we got five goals and a clean sheet and the objectives were met. But we have seen consistency in keeping clean sheets and that is a plus going forward," Gayle said.
The home team started out dictating possession and searching for openings. They eventually got the breakthrough when Larmond was brought down inside the box and a penalty was awarded. Spence converted the spot kick to put his team ahead.
Midway the half, Larmond slotted home a low cross from 12 yards to make it 2-0, before Spence added his second and his team's third with a low strike in first-half stoppage time.
Nevertheless, Papine never made it easy for the hosts, although two second-half goals from Spence put the game out of their reach.
"We didn't want to concede as much as the first game," Papine coach Michael Blygen commented.
"So we played with a low block, so we could stop them scoring as much goals as possible, which worked to some level," he added.
"The mentality was also a bit better than the first game. You could see the fight. And that is what we ask every game, to never give up, fight to the last breath."
Jamaica College (JC) ran out the day's biggest winners, thumping bottom-of-the-table Pembroke Hall 18-0 at the Ashenheim Stadium.
Victory, their fourth in five matches, kept JC atop Zone F as they moved to 13 points and a massive goal difference of +47.
Excelsior High School, who were inactive yesterday, remain second with 10 points from four matches.
Pembroke Hall, in the meantime, were losing for the fifth time in as many tries. They have now conceded 42 goals.
The competition continues on Friday.
