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The Classics

Trench Town secures Walker Cup victory with convincing 21-1 win over Excelsior

Published:Friday | December 15, 2023 | 7:11 AM
The Trench Town team with coach Vernon Bell (second from left at back), after their 2-1 victory over Excelsior in the Walker Cup final at the stadium on December 11, 1969. It was Trench Town’s first hold on any Secondary Schoolboys football trophy since their entry in such competitions in 1968. And the boys that brought them the Cup are from left in back, Carl Reid, Vernon Bell, Herbert Gordon, Neville Smith, Brandon Davison and George Farquharson. In front from left are: Cecil Davis, Carl Brown, Neville Morgan (captain), Neville Edwards, Nehemiah Branch and John Fenton.

In a one-sided Walker Cup football final at the Stadium, Trench Town dominated Excelsior, winning 21-1, showcasing the latter's defensive vulnerabilities in the absence of key players Allan Lawrence and Carl McDonald. Despite Trench Town's repeated floundering in front of goal, they managed to capitalise on two opportunities, ending Excelsior's two-year reign and securing their second triumph over the Manning champions this season

PUBLISHED FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 1969

Trench Town Walker Cup champions

ONLY THE most partisan Excelsior fan would deny their makeshift team deserved to be beaten 21-1 by Trench Town in the Walker Cup football final at the Stadium yesterday afternoon. With Allan Lawrence and Carl McDonald missing, XLCR were naïve and fallible in defence and Trench Town were continuously gifted with chances.

But Trench Town added considerably to this dreary affair, repeatedly flunking before goal. The two chances they accepted, however, were good enough to end Excelsior’s two-year reign and post their second triumph over the Manning champions this season.

At 24 minutes, the ball idling around the Excelsior area, Herbert Gordon, who was in possession, suddenly decided to shoot and it paid dividends. Goalkeeper Herbert Knight was caught flat-footed and he was well beaten by a sharp looper.

Up to this stage, Excelsior was labouring to move on the offence, despite the prodding of their right-winner Everton Martin.  They had two chances, Martin dribbled through the defence, but delayed his shot and was dispossessed. Moments earlier, he had centred one which was successively missed by their colleagues with the Trench Town defence in disarray.

Then, at 34 minutes, Knight rushing out to intercept a ball, suddenly shied from it as if it were diseased, and Gordon half-heartedly made it 2-0.

Excelsior trudged off for intermission looking weary and demoralised, but returned in better shape for the second period and got their goal via the penalty spot, Martin converting after a flabbergasted Trench Town defender had checked Donovan Taylor in a goal bid created by a Linton Graham defence splitting dribble.

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