Football fans assembled at the Soufriere Mini Stadium expecting a football master class particularly with the teams vying for the top trophy. It was a day featuring a double header, the third placed playoffs between an exciting Canaries team and solid Gros Isley team which stumbled during the regular season but seemingly found it feet.
That first match was a bit of a lackluster performance by both teams by all accounts, but they were playing for third place prize monies which was a significant amount.
The Gros Islet outfit let by Head Coach Francis “Baba” Lastic attempted to control the game but a resilient Canaries seemed ready to take the game to the team from the north. At the 27-minute mark it was Robert Regis who gave Canaries the lead with no answer come from the Gros Islet team before the half time whistle. The second half was much of the same with Alex Longville netting a second for Canaries in the 71st minute. Gros Islet had not response as it ended 2-0 in favour of the West Coast team and in the process securing the 3rd place trophy.
The grand final was not as eventless.
The La Clery verses Vieux Fort encounter was always going to be a nervous battle. La Clery would be attempting to defend their title against a Vieux Fort team that could run for the entire 90 minute, adding pressure at every turn.
At half time it was still all square with both teams looking like they could score at any minute, but it was the back of the La Clery net bulging in the 47th minute through the very consistent Obafemi Poyotte. It did not take long before Milan Jules equalized and try as they may, that’s how it remained till the final whistle. It went on to penalties which the defending champions won 4-3 after some brilliant saves from the La Clery keeper Devon St. Prix, affording the $30,000 top prize money.
However, the final was marred by scenes that should never occur in the professional game. At one stage in the game a La Clery player went off the field to be embroiled in an altercation that has been documented all over social media. The game was delayed for approximately 15 minutes. Upon resumption, fans were left dumfounded as no cautions were handed out. Many were seen leaving the stadium ahead of the final whistle as numerous other altercations broke out in the stands.
The St. Lucia Football Association {SLFA} and the St. Lucia Semi Professional League (SPFL) have yet to deliver an official statement on the incident.