Chennai: 6-0! Do not mistake it for a bagel in the ongoing Australian Open. It isn’t. What it denotes is the complete lopsidedness of what was deemed a close contest between St. Patrick’s and St. Bede’s in the Chola MS U-14 Schools Premier League football tournament here on Friday. St. Patrick’s inflicted the pain of defeat on St. Bede’s, who rather belatedly found out that they were clearly out of the former’s league, and what deserves praise is how St. Patrick’s never let up in their unrelenting pursuit of victory even after they effectively sealed the tie at the conclusion of first-half.
Indeed right from the commencement of the match only one team showed the hunger for a fight but later even they realised that all they needed to do to earn the spoils was to just stay put on the field. There were opportunities aplenty for St. Patrick’s and the result is an apt reflection of their dominance. Although it was a team effort that fetched St. Patrick’s the glory, there were a couple of outstanding performers who helped them end up on the right side of the result after suffering a reversal in their last match.
Winger P. Suresh bagged a hat-trick and so ominous a mood he was in at one stage that it seemed he would single-handedly enable his team breach the 10-goal barrier. St. Bede’s effort lacked luster and for them to have any hopes of making it to the semi-finals it’s high time they found a panacea for their ills.
The second match of the evening at St. Michael’s Academy between Vidya Mandir and Wesley had the spunk element in it but didn’t have goals as both teams laid more emphasis on caution than aggression. Draw it may have been but it was exhilarating all the same.
Results: St. Patrick’s 6 (P. Suresh 3, Lakshman Kumar, Jaisurya, Simeon) bt St. Bede’s 0; Wesley o drew with Vidya Mandir 0.
Action today: St. Michael’s vs Don Bosco (Egmore) 3 pm; Lady Andal vs Chettinad (4.30pm).
