Edward ‘Screw’ Richmond U-19 F’ball final…Davidson’s single strike lands ‘Multi’ win over New Silvercity for first title

May 29, 2013 Sports

With time seemingly running out and the championship on the line, top striker Marmaleque Davidson piloted Christianburg Wismar Secondary (CWS) ‘Multi’ to an eventual 1-0 win over New Silvercity Secondary when they clashed in the final of the 2013 Edward ‘Screw’ Richmond Memorial Linden Schools Under-19 football championship at the Wisburg Secondary School ground, after faltering in last year’s final against Linden Technical Institute.

Christianburg Wismar Secondary football skipper Travin ‘Babylon’ Dryden receives the Edward ‘Screw’ Richmond Memorial Lien Trophy from Chairman of the Foundation Mr. Ernest Joseph.

This time the final’s result would be different and it was going to be on a different ground and not the Mackenzie Sports Club ground as last Thursday’s final result meant that after five years the coveted Edward ‘Screw’ “Richmond Memorial Championship was now won by the ‘Multi’ Boys.
In the final for a second year in succession, it was obvious that after being beaten last year and with the nucleus of players returning this year, the eventual winners had to make the most of this opportunity and several of them will not be there come next year.
Their captain, Travin ‘Babylon’ Dryden, was very optimistic about them claiming the title for the first time and noted their confidence going into the final.  This time they did not start as expected and their coach Anthony Stephens (Jr.) did not panic but kept telling his players to remain focused.
Multi’s patience did pay off in the end and while the opening salvoes were slightly in the New Silvercity Secondary team’s favour, their bravery as first time finalists did not reflect their underdog status against this matured ‘Multi’ side.
However, it was the New Silvercity guys who with a lineup that was bustling with right winger Akeem ‘Messi’ Aaron causing them some concern in tandem with Shaquille Alexander and Jermaine Smith that initially pushed their opponents on the defensive somewhat.
In the first half they did succeed to an extent with midfield player O’Neil Gentle, who was among their top scorers in the tournament, nearly sending them ahead when his shot somehow landed on to the cross bar as it headed goal-wards beating Yannick Simon.
But the ‘Multi’ side regrouped and ended the first half still in with a good chance of carting off the title for the first time.
New Silvercity Secondary playing for the first time in the final under coach Dwaylon Farrell did outplay their opponents under pressure, but the ‘Multi’ Boys top marksman going into the final, Marmaleque Davidson, would show his class towards the end of the game as he gave an insight to his scoring abilities.
Davidson was on the striking line and got support from his midfield in particular where Leon Hohenkirk and Anthony Layne along with a string line of defenders which included their captain and big defender Travin Dryden aka ‘Babylon’ looked intimidating in company of last back Benny Neblett, along with Romain Adams and Jamal Almond as Yannick Simon looked after duties in goal.
They were taking the fight to their opponents and looked in with a chance. But the Christianburg Secondary side held their own and kept that 0-0 stalemate well into the second period which was contested at a higher tempo that the first.
The offensive minded Multi side produced the game’s winner from an enterprising onslaught. They gained a throw-in close to the corner flag where the towering Dryden with a big throw sent the ball into the goalmouth where a lurking Davidson finished the play with a header that beat the goalkeeper Leacock and his defenders to score in the 70th minute. It was goal number 12 for Davidson in the championship and the most by any player.
New Silvercity fought back with Jermaine Smith’s shot coming close, landing behind the crossbar to cause premature celebrations by his teammates only for the alert referee Stanley Lancaster to rule otherwise.
Multi came close when Davidson’s shot crashed onto to the cross bar in the dying moments of the game which would have sent his team into a 2-0 advantage but this not to be as time ran out and the contest finished 1-0.
In the third place game, Linden Technical Institute won 5-4 on penalty kicks after their game against Harmony Secondary ended 1-1 at the end of regulation and extra periods of play.
Chairman of the Edward ‘Screw’ Richmond Foundation based in the United States, Ernest Joseph, who was present, handed over the championship trophy and replicas to the winning Christianburg Wismar Secondary team, while the second and third place finishers also received their trophies and replicas as did the individual prizes winners.