Football cup action always brings out the most passionate emotions and that was evident in the first leg semi-final Digicel Cup games on Sunday.
The two matches at the TE McField Annex drew a sizable crowd who unfortunately did not see too much quality action because of the swirling wind affecting virtually every kick. At times fingers had to be placed on the ball just to keep it still enough when the rules demanded it be stationery.
League leaders Elite faced arch West Bay rivals Scholars International in the first game. Scholars went ahead in the 21st minute when cup specialist Wayne ‘Bigga’ Smith smacked home. Eight minutes later a hotly disputed penalty was converted by Jairo Sanchez at the second attempt, the keeper having saved his first spot-kick but infringed the rules in doing so, much to his disappointment.
Elite’s Alex Belcher is making it a habit of scoring at vital times and this was no exception, finding the net in the 76th minute.
Roma United were beaten Digicel Cup finalists last term and against Bodden Town they looked set for a good night when in the 27th minutes from a 40 yard free-kick Narval ‘Pepe’ Buchanan found the net after the wind deceived the keeper. Bodden Town never gave up and their fresher legs and higher work rate paid off in the dying minutes when Theron Wood scored four minutes from time from a penalty and left back Wesley Robinson nipped in to make it 2-1 in the dying moments. Wood hit the cross bar too near the end.
The second leg of semis will be on 5 February at the TE McField Annex. Roma will play Bodden Town at 5pm and Elite face Scholars International at 7pm.
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