Six unanswered goals not yet Innswood’s best – Patrick

Innswood High School secured their first win under new head coach Anthony Patrick with a commanding 6-0 victory over Clan Carthy High in ISSA Manning Cup Zone B action at the Alpha Boys Institute yesterday.

A brace from Antoine Parkes (88th and 90th minutes), along with goals from Dowayne Morris (26th), Malik Williams (44th), Nathaneal Powell (67th) and Jamar Hyatt (84th), powered Innswood to the emphatic victory.

Despite the scoreline, Patrick was far from satisfied with his team’s overall performance.

“I think overall performance wasn’t up to standard. I think we never really do nothing much. We just score some goals but that’s the only thing, and we get three points,” he said after the match.

“We have a whole lot to learn and a whole lot to work on. The youngsters, you know, trust me, have a whole lot of work to be doing.”

Innswood took control of the contest when Morris opened the scoring in the 26th minute before adding a second just before the break as Williams ghosted into the box and tapped home to give his team a 2-0 advantage.

Clan Carthy came close to responding in the first half when Odarie Dussard produced a clever nutmeg before slipping the ball into the path of Carlos Beckford.

However, Beckford lost his footing at the crucial moment, allowing Innswood to escape unscathed.

Innswood continued to threaten in the second half, with Hyatt sending a volley wide in the 54th minute before going close again two minutes later.

The pressure paid off just after the hour mark when Powell made it 3-0 from a set-piece routine, rising highest in the area to head home from close range.

Hyatt eventually got on the scoresheet, adding his team’s fourth with a deft finish, before Parkes raced beyond his marker and chipped the goalkeeper late in the contest to make it 5-0.

Parkes then completed his brace in added time to cap a dominant performance from Innswood.

For Patrick, the victory was an important step forward after a 1-1 draw with Hillel Academy in the team’s opening match.

“I think it’s going to boost the confidence a whole lot. The first game we drew with Hillel, and to come today and get six, it’s a step in the right direction,” Patrick said.

However, Clan Carthy head coach Nallawe Blake attributed the heavy defeat to a lack of discipline and preparation, insisting the scoreline did not accurately reflect the gap between the teams.

“I don’t think Innswood is six goals better than us. I think indiscipline is the problem. And not only on match day, it’s from training,” Blake said. “If you lose from training, you will lose the game.”

Blake also pointed to Clan Carthy’s youthful squad and the absence of several players because of registration issues.

He said the missing players forced the team to turn up with only 12 players, with several members of the squad drawn from the school’s Under-16 and Under-14 programmes.

Also in Zone B, St Mary’s College recorded their second consecutive victory after defeating Papine High 3-0.

In Zone C action, Norman Manley seized control of the group with a 3-1 win over Edith Dalton James to maintain their perfect record.

gregory.bryce@gleanerjm.com