Adrian Frater, News Editor

Western Bureau:

Granville FC added the second end-of-round title in the 2006-07 Captain's Bakery Western Super League to their first-round success last week when they handed Negril FC a 3-1 defeat in the final at the Rusea's High School grounds in Lucea.

In a game dedicated to coach Mrs. Tracy Reid, who is recovering in hospital after she gave birth to a daughter earlier this week, Granville scored through David Gilliard (two) and skipper Rodney Hines. Negril got their lone goal from top striker Howard Phillips.

"The players said they were going to do it for Tracy (Reid) and they delivered on their promise," said Mrs. Reid's husband Loxley, who stood in as coach for his wife.

"This win means a lot to us because it means that we are well on course to achieving our overall objective, which is to win the competition."

In what was a keenly contested game, the Jerome Waite-coached Negril outfit had much the better of the early action. They should have taken the lead in the seventh minute when Paul Spence broke clean on goal but he dragged his shot wide of the goal.

With Granville settling down and taking control, they too got and wasted good chances in the 20th and 25th minutes through Oniel Pringle and Odaine Snow.

A fierce shot

However, Gilliard made amends in the 27th minute when, from a difficult angle, he drove a fierce shot past goalkeeper Lamart McIntosh, making the half-time score 1-0.

With Negril missing a glorious chance to draw level seven minutes into the second when Pete Campbell pounced on a cross before the goal but sent his header wide, Granville doubled their lead in the 54th minute. It was again Gilliard on target, piercing the crowded Negril goal area with a fierce grounder, making the score 2-0.

Negril bounced back in the 62nd minute when Granville's custodian failed to gather a cross and the ball fell to the burly Phillips. He made no mistake, slotting into the empty goal to make the score 2-1 and renewing hopes in his team's bid to avenge the 1-0 loss they suffered in the first end-of-round final.

However with the dreadlocked Jason Rose coming in as a substitute to join their midfield, Granville became even more potent as he was soon toying with the Negril defence, bamboozling them with his deft touches and accurate passing.

It did not come as a surprise when Granville sealed the issue in the 84th minute to secure the title. Under relentless pressure, the Negril defence cracked when they fumbled a back kick and skipper Hines pounced on the loose ball and booted into the goal, making the final score 3-1.