Adrian Frater, News Editor

WESTERN BUREAU:

BOTTOM-PLACE Naggo Head demonstrated that they are not ready to roll over and die when they battled back from a goal down to beat second-from-bottom Wadadah 4-3 in their Wray and Nephew National Premier League clash at the Catherine Hall stadium yesterday.

Kenardo Forbes (two goals), Denton Shedden and Christopher Harris were the goalscorers for Naggo Head, who moved up from 14 to 17 points, while Markino Gillings got all three goals for Wadadah, who remain stuck on 19 points.

"We showed a lot of character and mental toughness today and it paid off for us," said Wayne Fairclough, the coach of Naggo Head. "We might be down but we don't consider ourselves out."

The game started on a high for Wadadah when on their first attack in the first minute they took the lead. Gillings won possession before the goal and, with the goalkeeper at his mercy, fired in a neat grounder to make the score 1-0.

With Naggo Head settling down and looking to take control of the game, they struck back in the 23rd minute with a brilliant strike. The veteran Shedden latched on to an aerial pass and almost in one motion volleyed sweetly into the roof of the net, making the score 1-1.

Serious pressure

With time running out in the half and Wadadah under serious pressure, Naggo Head took the lead in the 41st minute when the wily Forbes unleashed a torrid long-range free kick which crashed into the back of the net, making the half-time score 2-1.

Wadadah pulled level in the 51st minute. On a break down the middle, Gillings outsped the Naggo Head defence and with the goalkeeper advancing, planted a neat shot into the goal, making the score 2-2.

However, with the Wadadah fans still celebrating their goal, Naggo Head struck back in the 53rd. Wadadah's custodian, Gavin Barrett, blocked a shot into the path of the alert Forbes and he gleefully accepted the offer, lashing home easily to make the score 3-2.

With the momentum in their favour and Wadadah looking quite ragged in defence, Naggo Head struck again in the 69th minute. Harris won possession in a goalmouth melee and walked the ball into the goal, making the score 4-2. However, Wadadah were to get a third goal in the 79th minute when they were awarded a penalty after Raphael Palmer was brought down from behind inside the goal area. Gillings made no mistake from the spot, completing his hat-trick to make the final score 4-3.

Naggo Head 4

Kenardo Forbes 41st, 53rd, Denton Shedden 23rd, Christopher Harris 69th

Wadadah 3

Markino Gillings 1st, 51st, 79th