Paul A. Reid, Staff Reporter
Granville's Oneil Pringle (left) and Mt. Salem's Nicholas Shaw appear to be caught in soccer ballet as they battle for a ball in the first half of Tuesday's return leg semi-finals of the Captain's Bakery Western Confederation Super League at Jarrett Park, Montego Bay. Granville advanced to the finals on a 4-1 aggregate after the game ended 1-1. - PHOTO BY PAUL A. REID
WESTERN BUREAU:
GRANVILLE BOOKED their place in the finals of the Captain's Bakery Western Confederation Super League after playing out a 1-1 draw against Mt. Salem at Jarrett Park in yesterday's return leg semi-finals to advance on a 4-1 aggregate.
Huwayne Blake gave Granville a first-half lead while Garth Johnson equalised midway through the second half.
Granville started an unchanged team from Saturday's first leg and continued their dominance of the Mt Salem team that made three changes.
The changes failed to improve Mt. Salem's luck as Granville pegged them back in their own half for long periods.
Salem were forced into an early change after Anthony Mowatt failed to recover sufficiently from a tackle and was replaced by Junior Malcolm.
Granville made their dominance count in the 34th minute when the Mt. Salem defence failed to clear a ball from their penalty area and Blake cannoned it past the hapless Garfield Johnson.
MISSED OPPORTUNITY
Salem had a good chance in the 52nd minute when Malcolm's thunderous shot from the left channel was blocked by Granville's goalkeeper Carter Hanson, the shot pushing him back into his own goal.
Johnson gave Salem a lifeline in the 59th when he chipped a cross from Nicholas Shaw past the advancing Hanson but was unlucky in the 70th minute when his long, hard shot hit the base of the post and rebounded into play after he had rounded the 'keeper.
