CARLTON ARE still the queens of local football after defeating their nemesis Eve Genesis 3-2 in a season ender on Sunday night at Bridgefield, St Thomas.
Genesis who won the first Barbados Football Association’s women’s title in 2006 needed a miracle to stop the 8000 Inc. Carlton from taking their fourth successive crown as they had not defeated Carlton since 2006 and the goal difference meant that Genesis needed to win by a clear four goals on Sunday night.
The robust pace of the opening exchanges suggested that both teams recognised the importance of the game. But, with more at stake, Genesis drew first blood with Kerry Trotman hitting home in the left hand corner from outside of the penalty area in the 12th minute.
Referee Gillian Martindale had just blown her whistle for the touch-off after the first goal when Genesis, apparently still in celebration mode, allowed a Carlton wave of attack to leave an exposed Cassie-Marie Bereaux to accept a cross from Aaliyah Alleyne to equal the contest in the 13th minute.
With Shanice Stevenson of Genesis and Aaliyah Alleyne of Carlton vying for the Golden Boot award, both players were kept out by their rival defence although Stevenson missed a superb cross from defender Ailsa Walcott and the speedy Chazelle Cumberbatch also failed to capitalise on a point-blank opportunity for Carlton.
Even so, Trotman scored again in the 34th minute to carry Genesis into the half-time with a 2-1 advantage and facing the mountain of now having to score a 6-1 victory. All of that became meaningless in the 60th minute when Genesis’ defence committed an unforgivable blunder of leaving Alleyne unmarked at the far post for the three-peat Golden Boot winner to score her 13th goal in the 60th minute.
With just pride at stake for Genesis since the goal difference would have increased even further following Carlton’s second strike, Genesis seemed almost resigned to the position of runners-up for the fourth year in succession and saw Bereaux scoring again in the 85th minute to seal the game and the championship.
In spite of losing the match, Genesis played a great game of defence and attack with keeper Savyair Byron-Toney demonstrating great skills in coming off the line to nullify many of Carlton’s attacks. Former Barbados hockey goalkeeper Lana Als was also impressive between the uprights to help Carlton to deny Genesis those vital goals.
Alleyne’s 13 goals edged Trotman’s 12 and 11 from Stevenson. A strange fixture saw two other matches being played fon the artificial turf at the University of the West Indies. Home team UWI shockingly defaulted to Technique while the National Sports Council blanked the Barbados Women’s Football Academy 4-0 with Kamillah Burke scoring twice and Dominique Browne and Kimberley Ellis adding the other goals.
