Dwight Nelson, Freelance Writer

Sporting Central 1

(Hugan Grey 40th

St. Georges 0

Sporting Central Academy edged St. Georges 1-0 in a clash of the promoted teams in the Cash Plus Premier League at Brancourt yesterday.

It was an exciting game from start to finish with both teams playing attractive football, but the match was marred at the end when four St. Georges players were shown red cards for abusing the match officials, including referee Oniel Clayton. The players dismissed were captain Damion Harwood, Dwayne Holmes, Omar Davis and Ricardo Taylor. Before the sad end, the football was good.

Sporting went close to opening the scoring in the fifth minute when Hugan Grey picked up a pass on the edge of St. Georges 18-yard box and kicked a hard shot which had goalkeeper Anthoniel Williams going full-stretch to save.

Grey went on to find the match-winner five minutes before the break. Sporting Central were awarded a free kick 30 yards out and he produced a scorcher which swept past St. Georges custodian Anthoniel Williams. The excitement increased in the second half and both teams kept nothing in reserve, unleashing all-out attacks. Stern defending from both camps, however, prevented a change of score.

Donovan Duckie, coach of losing team St. Georges, in commenting on the dismissals said: "It's a sad end to a classic game. However, I am not clear of what transpired at the end of the game, so I will definitely have to check out the facts before I comment." He added: "Losing four players will make it an uphill task for us in our next game against Waterhouse."