by EZRA STUART

WORKING TOGETHER behind the scenes was a key factor in Pride of Gall Hill's resurgence this season which culminated on Sunday with the capture of the Barbados Football Association's Knockout title at the YMCA.

Gall Hill recorded a hard-fought 1-0 extra-time victory against their Christ Church arch rivals, Caribsurf Paradise, in the final, a feat which long-serving coach and former team captain Eyre Sealy attributed to hard work and having a united squad.

"We did a couple things that really helped out the team. We brought Roderick Huggins on board to do the bulk of the coaching and between myself, the other guys and him, we planned strategy," Sealy said.

"The guys have come together this year. Even Adrian, the pharmacist in Gall Hill, came in as medic and we had a lot of people working behind the scene like Stephen Reid, William Warner and Barry Taylor to make this all possible. We did a bit of retooling after the problems of last season and it has worked out well."

Sealy said not having the team's leading goalscorer, Quincy Atherley, who was ejected in the nail-biting 2-1 semifinal victory over Ajax Construction Silver Sands, put a lot of pressure on the team.

"Of course, I was concerned about the absence of Quincy because our attack goes through him. He's been the mainstay of our attack but these things happen and you have to show your character," Sealy said.

"I told the guys to show character, that we won't win the game by being more fancy and pretty than other teams. We have to win the cup by working hard for each other because if you look at the guys, they are teenagers.

"We are not blessed with overwhelming talent but what you don't have in talent, you have to make up for in hard work and we've done that and that is what has seen us through."

Sealy said the fact that Gall Hill did not break down Paradise's defence and score more goals despite their opponents were down to nine men when Jamar Harewood and Trevor Mayers were sent off, was mainly because they don't have bona fide forwards.

Adjust with players

"If you look through Gall Hill side, you would realise that we don't have genuine strikers. We makeshift with putting the best players we have on the field. So you would see Jason Goodridge sometimes as a striker. Even Sherwin Success came on as a striker and Lionel Paul went up to striker at times. They all threw their all at it but they are not traditionally strikers, they are more midfield players," Sealy reasoned.

"We have one main striker really and that is Quincy Atherley and he is not even a loafing striker, he's more a roaming striker so we've had to adjust with the players we have to make it successful," Sealy said.

Sealy also said it was a tactical move to switch national Under-21 central defender Jamar Sargeant to the right side of the defence and bring captain Oscar Nero into the sweeper position.

"We were trying to get some movement down the right-hand side because Mario Farrell, who was playing that side for Paradise went off injured and we were trying to exploit this side as much as possible," Sealy said.

Gall Hill's goalkeeper Omari Eastmond, who saved a second half penalty when he blocked a spot kick by experienced Paradise defender Michael Brandon and also parried away the rebound, said he was extremely happy to lift the Knockout Cup.

"I am overjoyed to know we have a young team which gave all the commitment and unity they could. We had to struggle but we had the courage and motivation and I want to thank the Almighty for giving us strength and that guidance to go out there and do it. It was a team effort," Eastmond said. n ezrastuart@nationnews.com