By Nodley Wright, Staff ReporterIT WAS a case of third time lucky for coach Charlie Edwards in the final of the Sherwin Williams/JFF women's National Football League at the Barbican playfield yesterday.
For their troubles Barbican collected the Sherwin Williams Trophy and the winners cheque of $250,000 but the money would have been secondary to Edwards. After being denied twice before, last season being the second occasion, Barbican showed great character in wiping away a two-goal first leg deficit to win the second leg 5-0.
Taniesha Francis with a hat-trick and a goal each from Nicole Bell and Samantha Kinlocke did the trick for Barbican.
"We told them that it was the last game of the season and that we had nothing to lose," said Edwards explaining his team's approach to the game.
BELL TOOK CHARGE
Edwards also said that the moment he saw the attitude of his players he knew they would have won. But the difference on the field was the presence and the play of Nicole Bell, who arrived on Saturday night for the match.
"The difference is that Nicole Bell came back in the midfield today and really took charge of things," he said.
Led by Bell in concert with the cheeky Jody McGregor and the composed Francis, Barbican were always in charge. Based on their play the Montego Bay team should have shed the prefix un from their name. They were always second best.
The little Nordia Reid tried her best but the efforts of captain Paula Ebanks, Suzette Murray and Elizabeth Vassell could not match the work and skill of their opponents.
It took just four minutes for Barbican to open the scoring through Francis. Not even that early setback pulled Untouchables out of their defensive posture.
Twenty minutes later a slimmer version of Kinlocke added a second and though the scores were then tied, it was curtains for the travelling team. Francis put distance between the two teams in the 27th minute.
The cool Bell converted a penalty with about five minutes to go after the provocative McGregor was hauled down in the box. Francis sealed the issue by firing home a half volley from just inside the box in time added.
By this time the joy of the long-suffering Barbican supporters could not be contained. As the final whistle sounded they rushed onto the field and even poured champagne on a happy Edwards.
Opposing coach Stephen Petgrave in the meantime was left reflecting on what could have been.
"The plan was not to be that defensive. It was to go out there and attack," said Petgrave.
He continued: "They did not do that. They were very timid and this approach caused us three goals and there was bad officiating also."
