Jamaica outlast Barbados in hockey clash
Published:Wednesday | October 1, 2014 | 8:23 PMShayne Fairman
The country blazed a whole new trail by hosting the Federation of International Hockey (FIH) World League round-one qualifying series ? its first major tournament hosted in eight years.
Team Jamaica?s male team pushed those boundaries even further by beating a formidable Barbados team 2-1 yesterday at the Mona hockey field.
Even though Barbados opened the scoring with Neil Franklyn in minute 19, Jamaica pressed on with Jerome Davis bringing the hosts back into the game with a penalty shot on minute 22.
With 28 minutes on the clock, George McGlashen scored from a well-taken penalty corner, to hand the advantage to Jamaica.
The Jamaicans gave their all in defence as the game turned into a more physical and a feisty encounter, with Barbados leading most of the attack.
Debutant goal keeper Kardif Davidson might have played the game of his life to prevent his team from conceding more goals. Courtesy of his heroics, Jamaica clinched a dramatic win, their first over a recognised opponent in more than eight years.
?This was my first game. It was a dream come true to represent my country in a match of this importance,? Davidson said after frustrating the Bajans with more than six point-blank saves.
Meanwhile, head coach Nicholas Brown lauded the Jamaicans performance.
glad to win
?Playing our first major game in over four years, we are glad to win. We missed a few key players, but overall the team did well by beating a strong Barbados team. We have some work to do, but we?ll be ready to engage Dominica next,? Brown told The Gleaner.
In other games, Trinidad and Tobago eased to a 3-1 victory over the Dominican Republic in their 2:00 p.m.fixture.
In the first match at 11:30 a.m. Barbados outclassed Puerto Rico 4-1.
After two games among the women, Trinidad and Tobago lead the standings with two wins, Barbados two, while Dominica Republic and Puerto Rico have one victory from their respective two games. Jamaica is at the bottom by virtue of losing their first match to the Dominica Republic.