Reprinted from Caribbean Net News
caribbeannetnews.com

A win over Bahamas sends Vincy Heat through to Trinidad
11-25-2006

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados: St Vincent & The Grenadines beat the Bahamas 3 – 2 in the penultimate match of the Digicel Caribbean Cup Group G qualifying round on Thursday. The win achieved amid extremely muddy conditions at the National Stadium in Bridgetown, Barbados, was enough tp secure their second place position in the group and their direct passage to the eight teams final in Trinidad early next year.

The opening 45 minutes of the evening consisted of a constant barrage of attacks by St Vincent & The Grenadines on a solid Bahamian defence. With the majority of play taking place inside the Bahamas half, coach Gary White’s back row, and in particular goalkeeper Dwayne Whylly, succeeded in thwarting all of the Vincy Heat's efforts. The Bahamas did reply with a handful of drives into their opponents' territory, with their best chance of the half being a Cameron Hepple cross to Vaughnn Bethnell, who sent the ball inches the bar.

The teams emerged after half time with renewed energy and enthusiasm, treating the crowd to a far livelier second half. The almost constant barrage of attacks on the Bahamas defence being replaced by free flowing end to end play.

The game sprang to life in the 55th minute when Gavin Christie capitalised on a corner kick to put the Bahamas one up. The Vincy Heat immediately responded with a shot on goal and only skillful defending aided keeper Whylly in keeping that ball out. However, in the very next passage of play he wasn’t as lucky as No. 10 Shandell sent the ball straight into the back of the net. Only five minutes later in the 61st minute the Vincy Heat snatched their second goal from a corner kick, which enabled Shandell Samuels get his second of the night.

Undeterred, the Bahamas only needed another four minutes in which to level the score as Heat keeper Melvin Andrews fumbled a direct shot on his goal by Bernard Rahming. Jonathon Moseley was there to catch the rebound and send the ball straight past the keeper. With neither side relenting, the winning goal came for St Vincent & The Grenadines in the 80th minute, as no. 6 Wesley Charles kicked the ball straight over the keeper's head and into the back of the net.

Bahamas, having lost both of their pervious Group G round matches are out of the Digicel Caribbean Cup, while the victorious Vincy Heat advance to take part in the finals, which will be held in Trinidad in January next year.

Bahamas: Dwayne D Whully Jr, Bernard J Rahming 11, Happy Hall, Kamal Degregory, Deron Swaby, Gavin Christie, Lesly St. Fleur, Nesly Jean, Jonathon Moseley, Vaughnn Bethell, Cameron Hepple

St Vincent & The Grenadines: Melvin Andrews, Greg Myers, Wesley Charles, Andrew Douglas, Cornelius Huggins, Dexter Walker, Shandell Samuel, Ezra Hendrickson, Sean Glynn, Marlon James, Kendol Velox