By Samuel Peters
With one round left in the Cool and Smooth Joma Ministry of Sports Patrick C. Whyte Competition, the pressure to progress to the knockout stage has greatly increased with only one team having so far qualified.
On Wednesday there were wins for Princess Margaret School, All Saints Secondary School, ABICE while Antigua Grammar School and Jennings Secondary School played to an exciting deadlock.
PMS maintained their lead at the top of the table with a narrow one nil victory over OCS, thanks to Johnathan Shoy’s 44th-minute strike.
The win keeps them three points clear at the summit with 21 points.
ASSS executed a clinical 5-1 win over SASS, after falling behind to St Anthony’s Andrew Canoville’s 16th-minute opener, ASSS responded emphatically scoring three goals in four minutes.
Jevaughn Jarvis netted a quick-fire double strike (25′, 27′), while Kamarlie Benjamin (23′), Jaden Joseph (53′), and Amunra Peters (56′) completed the rout.
ABICE kept pace with the leaders by securing a 1-0 victory over IBWS, with Karique Knight scoring the decisive goal in the 23rd minute.
ASC also strengthened their position with a 2-0 win over CHSS, courtesy of Tafari Peters’ double (20′, 33′).
In a balanced encounter, AGS and JSS played out a 2-2 draw.
JSS took an early lead through Naheem Donaldson in the first minute, but AGS responded through Sadique Adams (11′).
Samuel Brazier put AGS ahead in the 33rd minute, only for Denny Livingstone to level the match two minutes later.
The results leave PMS firmly in control at the top with 21 points, followed by ASSS on 18 points. ABICE, ASC, and AGS are all tied on 16 points, separated only by goal difference as the competition intensifies heading into the latter stages.
On Friday 29thm ABICE will battle SASS who lies in ninth place at the AGS Grounds with the expectation to secure three points.
The second match could be AGS’s first and only knockout game given the circumstances.
With ASC having two games in hand even if they go under to AGS, should they be victorious in their match against one of the lower ranked teams, they will progress on a higher goal difference.
ASSS will meet OCS at the KS Park and a win or draw will book their place in the semifinals.
PMS will meet JSS also at the same venue already having booked their place in the semifinals.
