The journey from west to east was worth the wait for the St Michael West and St Michael North West footballers on Wednesday night.
The two sides secured qualifying spots in the round of 16 in the David Thompson Constituency Councils’ Classic after drawing their respective matches at the Brereton ground in St Philip.
In the night-cap match, a late controversial penalty, converted by Stefon Ifill, affirmed St Michael North West’s qualifying berth in a 1-1 draw with St Philip West, who had only taken the lead six minutes earlier when Dave Taylor slotted home in the 84th minute.
But it was a disappointing “country” trip for another “town” team, St Michael South, who failed to advance after drawing 1-1 with St Michael West in the night’s first match.
Needing a big win to keep alive their hopes of qualifying, St Michael North squandered a number of goal-scoring opportunities after Tristan “Fishy” Parris gave them a 1-0 lead in the 21st minute.
St Michael West seemed rather accommodating as young Barbados striker Kemar Headley had a penalty saved by goalkeeper Rashad Ince.
Not only did St Michael concede a 32nd-minute penalty but their experienced midfielder John Stoute was red-carded for denying a goal-scoring opportunity when he handled a Kismar Griffith corner that was headed towards the goal.
Renico Smith eventually equalized in the 65th minute for St Michael West, who finished the preliminaries in second place on seven points, one fewer than St Andrew in the Denis Harewood Zone.
The battle between St Philip West and St Michael North West was one of near misses for both sides, with shots either crashing into the side-netting or going wide of the uprights.
Brothers Keon and Kadeem Atkins as well as winger Curtis Odle were live wires for St Michael North West but weren’t able to get past the sure-handed St Philip West custodian, Norrin Corbin.
At the back, Jason Carter came up with a crucial goal line clearance to deny Kyle Coppin, who spearheaded St Philip West’s challenge in partnership with Taylor, Tyrell “Peter Pan” Gibbons and Jason Goodridge.
After referee Rodney Barrow ejected Keon Atkins for a challenge on St Philip West’s captain Dwayne Cadoo, St Michael North seemed down and out when Taylor stabbed home a loose ball from a Coppin corner.
But in the dying moments, Barrow ruled that goalkeeper Corbin had fouled Akeem Broomes while trying to catch a high ball.
The penalty was only converted by Ifill after a 25-minute delay as two St Philip West players, Rico Nurse and John Roberts had to receive on-the-field medical attention from ambulance personnel for injuries suffered in a head-to-head collision, as they tried to clear the spilled ball.
