Dream season for deadly Russell
Goal machine Antoine Russell has reflected on a "dream season" after his Storm side scooped the Island Soccer League (ISL) championship.
Russell, who plays his domestic football with Dandy Town, helped himself to a host of other awards in the process, including the league MVP, All-Star MVP after his four-goal blitz and golden boot for being the leading goal scorer.
The pacey striker struck 16 times in the regular season and also added five play-off goals. Without his potency in front of the net, the Storm's season could well have turned out very different.
"The whole season was dream for me," said Russell, who earned himself the nickname "All Hussle". "Never in my wildest imaginations would I have thought of picking up the league MVP as well as the All-Star MVP.
"On top of these two awards, I held off the Union's Rohan Simons for the leading goal scorer and I then go on and win the champion's ring – it's unbelievable.
"I still can't believe it, this will take some time to sink in and understand what I've done in such a short period of time. But it has been a dream season."
Russell's Storm had to claw their way into the play-offs in a division that was deadlocked going into the final two games of the season.
But after emerging as champion's for the first time Russell believes the team can only get stronger.
"We knew if we got into the play-offs, we would get a straight ticket to the semi-finals and get some vital rest and watch our potential opponents," said Russell whose side beat the Union 5-4 in the final earlier this week.
"So our main focus at the end of the regular season to continue the wave we were on.
"Our match against the Union defined our team with the heart and character we showed. It was a very physical match that could have gone either way.
"We expected to roll over them by a few clear goals but you can't count out any team in this style of the game.
"We've shown this side of us throughout the season and it's a compliment to not only the team but also coach Andrew Bascome.
"We want to keep this same group of guys together, and if we can do that then we can only get better and that spells danger for the rest of the league."