Bodden Town confirmed that they are not becoming complacent after last season’s Premier League and FA Cup success by winning the inaugural President’s Cup at the TE McField Annex last week.
Plenty spectators came out to watch the two best teams in Cayman at the moment and were not disappointed.
Bodden Town came from behind to beat George Town 2-1 and secure their fourth trophy in a year having won the Community Shield at the start of the season.
The match on Ash Wednesday ignited in the 15th minute when George Town’s Raheem Robinson tumbled over Bodden Town keeper Michaeal Gourzong’s outstretched hands in the box. Bodden Town protested strongly that the penalty was harsh but, nevertheless, the decision stood.
Robinson took the spot kick successfully. George Town have an excellent record in cup competitions in recent seasons and as they are also league leaders, this early boost inspired them.
Even more pumped up than ever, Bodden Town’s younger, fitter side retained their composure and kept to the game plan of a high tempo game.
That was rewarded seven minutes later when Kareem James’s shot took a massive deflection and looped over Miguel Pitta for the equalizer.
Theron Wood has been a sensation this year, top scoring in the league and terrorizing defenses. He did not let Bodden Town again, finding the net for the winner nine minutes from time.
Bodden Town technical director Elbert McLean said, “I knew that if we kept to a high tempo from the start, it would pay off.
“Conceding that penalty so early worked in our favor because we knew we needed to step up. It showed our character that we were able to come from behind. I thought the penalty was a soft one, anyway and was not warranted.”
As well as retaining the Premier League title, Bodden Town aim to do well in the Caribbean Football Union Club Champions’ Cup next week.
They last played in that competition in 2011 and this time, a more experienced and far better team in every aspect, they hope to advance past the first round of the tournament’s 2014 Caribbean Football Union Club Championship.
Bodden Town will be in Puerto Rico from Mar. 21-25 for first-round, Group 1 games against Bayamon (Puerto Rico), Centro Dominguito (Curacao) and Unite Sainte-Rose (Guadeloupe).
“We feel if we execute our game plan, we will be victorious,” Bodden Town manager Kennedy Kelly said. “We are going to give it our best shot.”
Three years ago, Bodden Town hosted Puerto Rico champions River Plate in a preliminary round series. After losing the opening fixture 2-0, they won the second leg 1-0, but were eliminated on aggregate.
The club has used that experience for motivation ahead of its return to the CFU’s qualifying competition for the CONCACAF Champions League.
Striker Wood hopes to lead his team beyond the initial hurdle this time. “We are very excited to go into the tournament,” said Wood, who was unavailable for the 2011 competition. “We are training hard for it and our first goal is to get through the first round and move from there.”
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