The Cayman Islands Football Association’s Premier League season kicked off over the weekend, and it promises to an extremely competitive one because the teams are so evenly matched.
All-conquering Bodden Town were held to a 2-2 draw at home against Premiership newcomers Cayman Brac, and the other promoted team, Roma United, beat George Town 2-0 at the TE McField Annex.
In the other games, Elite beat Sunset 1-0 at the Annex, and at the Ed Bush stadium in West Bay, Cayman Athletic – one of the most improved sides this year – defeated Scholars International 2-1.
Elite striker Mark Ebanks is still trying to forge a professional career abroad and will soon be going away for another tryout.
In the meantime, he is staying sharp with the West Bay side, scoring the sole goal in the first half to earn the victory.
Ebanks troubled the Sunset defense all night and deserved to score more, coming close several times and hitting the post from a long-range free kick near the end.
Roma’s beating George Town through goals by Gavin Reynolds in the 47th minute and Gawayne Speed (90th) were unexpected.
But Roma, captained by Kemar “16” Boothe, showed in the First Division last season that they now have the discipline and cohesiveness they lacked before.
The only negative aspect of Sunday’s game for Roma was Narval Buchanan needing to get hospital treatment after a sickening clash of heads.
Cayman Athletic beating Scholars International was another surprise considering the average age of coach Gillie Seymour’s side is only 20.
“It was a good win for us,” Seymour said. “We usually start off losing the first game, so this was a good result and excellent motivation for the team.”
Teenage striker David Connolly got both Athletic goals, in the 42nd and 56th minutes. His form last term was a major reason for Athletic’s unbeaten run in the last seven games. Odaine Plinton (58th) scored for Scholars.
Of the many youngsters who form the nucleus of his side, Seymour is pleased that Matthew Suberan has remained loyal to Cayman Athletic and not gone elsewhere and goalkeeper Shakur Welcome who is only 17, continues to develop.
Seymour said that in the three years since getting promoted their objective was solely to stay in the top flight.
“Now we’ve done that, we have become more ambitious and want to establish ourselves in the top four,” Seymour said.
“If everything goes right now that we have the cake, it’s just a case of putting the icing on.”
Bodden Town were two up after strikes by Joshwa Clarke (42nd) and captain Yefry Calderon (55th) but squandered the advantage as a plucky Brac side clawed their way back through Denrick Gayle (69th) and Carlos Matute in the dying seconds of the game.
There are no games this weekend because football officials are attending a CONCACAF course.
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