Kwesi Mugisa, Staff Reporter
VERNAL
A THUNDEROUS right-footed volley three minutes from time by George Vernal saw the Boys' Town Red Brigade grasp a Wray and Nephew National Premier League final round 1-0 victory over Seba United at Collie Smith Drive sports ground yesterday.
Persistent rain had made conditions on the pitch less than perfect and time ticking away Boys' Town seemed headed for their 11th draw of the season.
"Deep into the second half I thought that this was going to be one of those games that depicted Boys' Town's story, playing well, having a lot of ball possession, dominating games but not converting," remarked Boys' Town technical director Andrew Price.
However Vernal, who to be truthful had his fair share of earlier opportunities, among them a 69th minute header six yards away from goal that was put over the crossbar, would profit from the work of substitute Denzil Watson.
CURLING BALL
Watson got by his defender on the right flank to deliver a curling ball, which was slammed ferociously into the back of the net past Seba custodian Loxley Reid, who had looked unbeatable up to that point. On many occasions, he charged bravely off his line to snuff out several Boys' Town breakaway opportunities.
"We showed a lot of character here today. People are stepping up when they are called upon and that is the type of effort that we are going to need to stay in this league," said Price, whose team moved to 31 points in mid-table.
With just one point from two games it has not been the best start to the third round for the Seba team, which remained eighth in the 12-team standings on 26 points.
"This is not the type of start we expected and it is certainly not what we had in mind," said Seba coach Heron Grey.
"It was a heartbreaking loss today, we came with a game plan and we just did not execute it. We lost our rhythm and it was a hard loss, especially with such a late goal, but we will go back to the drawing board," he added.
Seba's best opportunity of the game was an early one and it fell to Howard Reid. In the 15th minute the player unleashed a vicious free-kick from about 20 yards out, which was just tipped over the bar by Boys' Town custodian Kirk Porter.
GOALSHEET
BOYS' TOWN 1
George Vernal 87th
SEBA UNITED 0
