Harris’ strike lifts Frazsiers Whip to first JWPL title
Published:Sunday | June 11, 2023 | 1:50 AMOrane Buchanan - Staff Reporter
THE XAVIER Gilbert-coached Frazsiers Whip completed the league-cup double after defeating Cavalier 1-0 in the final of the Jamaica Women’s Premier League (JWPL) at the UWI-JFF Captain Horace Burrell Centre of Excellence yesterday.
The teams kept each other at arm’s length throughout the opening 20 minutes of the game with no clear-cut chances on offer throughout the first stanza.
In the second half, the game sprang to life as Frazsiers Whip national representative Shaneil Buckley’s cracking shot in the 48th minute clipped the crossbar, sending warning signs to the Cavalier unit.
Sustained pressure paid off four minutes later with substitute Shania Harris expertly dispatching a chance that came from all-round good build-up play.
Cavalier, whose chances were few and far between, could have equalised in the 83rd minute, but Tamara O’Sullivan effort went abegging thanks to sharp defensive work from the Frazsiers Whip backline.
Xavier Gilbert, winning coach of the Frazsiers Whip unit, believes that had the team been more patient in their build-up play, there would have been more goal-scoring opportunities for the team.
“It wasn’t a bad game. Despite us dominating possession, we weren’t penetrative enough. Credit must be given to them the way they set up as well, but if we were a little more patient and played quicker, similar to how we created the goal, then I think we would have scored some more goals,” said Gilbert.
Gilbert, who has had a season where he won the high school competition, the JWPL knockout, and now the league, isn’t too hung up on the achievements, saying that his priority was to get his players to enjoy what they do.
BIGGER PICTURE
“It’s always good to win, but part of my job is to get the girls to enjoy what they do and continue to develop. For me, that’s the most important thing as I always look at the bigger picture, and this is one of the platforms that gives them that,” he said.
Everdean Scarlett, head coach of Cavalier, chalked up the loss to tough luck.
“We know that they have a lot of good players, so our tactic was to stay behind the ball and be patient and wait for an opening. We knew that their backline had some problems from the first time we played them, so we came with the same mindset, but it’s just tough luck on our behalf,” said Scarlett.