.Port Kaituma silenced home side North West Secondary by a 4-1 score line in their semifinal encounter as action in the Digicel Secondary Schools National U-18 Football Tournament continued at the Mabaruma Community Centre ground, Region One (Barima/Waini) yesterday.
With conditions wet underfoot and buoyed by a large vocal fandom, North West took the first half lead in the 40th minute
through a Joel Gilkes sliding right-footed strike to bring the crowd to their feet.
It proved to be a game of two halves as four minutes into the resumption of the second period, Port Kaituma found the equaliser, compliments of a Keith Fraser header.
Receiving a perfectly weighted cross from a right-side free kick, Fraser unleashed a powerful cross goal header from the left side of the six-yard box into the bottom right-hand corner of the goal.
Port Kaituma took the lead in the 52nd minute through a Ralph Parris solo run and finish. Intercepting a poorly-defended clearance, Parris evaded two markers before striking his right-footed effort right down the middle of the goal.
Leon Gill increased Port Kaituma’s lead 10 minutes later through a penalty kick conversion following a rash challenge by the North West custodian.
Stepping up to take the ensuing spot kick, Gill sent the keeper the wrong way as he placed his right-footed effort clinically into the lower right-hand corner.
Parris completed his double in the 86th minute through a well placed lobbed strike from 20 yards out over the North West keeper to seal their finals berth. With the win, Port Kaituma will face Santa Rosa Secondary for the Region One title today.
