Young Men’s Social Club 2 Paget Lions 3

Paget kicked off the new year with a bang after surviving a late fightback from Young Men’s Social Club to clinch Shield final glory at Somerset Cricket Club.

A first-half brace from player-coach Antwan Russell was added to by substitute Omari Tucker with just 15 minutes remaining as Paget looked to be coasting to the title only for Social Club to hit back through Jinairo Johnson and a David Jones Jr penalty to set up a thrilling finale.

However, there was to be no dramatic turnaround as Paget held firm in the closing stages with the final whistle sparking wild celebrations from players, staff and fans alike.

“It’s always great to be able to lift a trophy and especially your first as a coach,” said Russell. “I really could not ask for anything better.

“At the start of the season our objective was to try to reach the final and obviously when we got here there was only one thought and that was to win.

“Anyone who has watched Paget this season will know that we make things hard for ourselves, that’s just the way we do it. We knew Social Club would have their moments in the game; we weathered the storm and all that mattered was getting the victory.

“History only talks about the winners, not how they won and so that is the only thing I am concerned with. This means so much to the club and community and we’re definitely going to enjoy this moment.”

In a frantic opening to the match both sides had early chances to open the scoring with Diaje Hart curling a left-footed effort narrowly wide for Paget, while at the other end the ball somehow stayed out of the net after a scramble inside the area after Nigel Williams was denied from close range by goalkeeper Chiquon Smith.

Paget should have taken the lead in the 15th minute but Shakir Smith spurned a glorious opportunity, hitting the post from all of two yards out when it appeared easier to score after being picked out at the back post by Kushae Hypolite’s ball across the goalmouth.

The deadlock was finally broken in the 22nd minute when Russell’s driven, long-range free kick took a wicked deflection through the crowded area to completely wrongfoot the helpless Kwensio Cann as the ball nestled into the bottom-right corner.

While the striker’s opener was fortuitous his second, seven minutes later, was anything but. With the ball bouncing into his path 30 yards from the goal, without hesitation Russell unleashed a sensational dipping strike that left Cann with no chance to double his side’s advantage.

Social Club rallied late in the half with Jones Jr curling a left-footed free kick over from the edge of the area, while Johnson rose highest to meet a corner from the right but could only send his header wide of Smith’s goal.

The second half got off to a tentative start, with the only real chance of note falling Paget’s way as Smith raced on to a ball over the top from Hypolite, only to be thwarted by Cann, who raced off his line to bravely meet the onrushing forward.

The match sparked back into life with 15 minutes to play as Paget added a third. Again Social Club were undone by a long ball forward as substitute Tucker beat custodian Cann to the ball before slotting into the empty net to seemingly wrap up victory for his side.

However, just three minutes later Social Club gave themselves a lifeline as Johnson rose at the back post to head home an inswinging corner from the left.

In the closing stages, referee Anthony Francis awarded Social Club a penalty after Johnson was adjudged to have been bundled over inside the area. Captain Jones Jr made no mistake, firing into the bottom-right corner to make the lingering nerves among the Paget contingent even worse.

Despite their best efforts, Social Club could not find an equaliser in the final moments as Paget held on to seal glory.

SCORERS

YMSC: J Johnson 78, D Jones Jr 88 (pen)

Paget Lions: A Russell 22, 29, Tucker 75

TEAMS

YMSC (4-5-1): K Cann 7 – B Swan Jr 6, Kelvon Butterfield 6, C Woolridge 7, K Singh 6 (sub: T Butterfield, 46min 5) – G Butterfield 7 (sub: S Jennings, 83), N Williams 7 (sub: N Armstrong, 62 6), N Edwards 6 (sub: A Gardener, 62 6), J Johnson 7, Z Hendrickson 6 – D Jones Jr 7. Substitutes not used: K Smith, Keshun Butterfield, M Simmons. Booked: Gardner, Woolridge.

Paget Lions (4-2-3-1): C Smith 6 – K Simons 7 (sub: K Durrant, 81), M Burch 7, J Carpenter 6, R Deshields 7 – P Castle 7, D Hart 8 (sub: D Zuill, 81) – Z Weller 7, K Hypolite 7 (sub: J Stovel, 73), S Smith 6 (sub: O Tucker, 73) – A Russell 9. Substitutes not used: J Richardson, M Wade, A Lee, D Curtis, W Sakir. Booked: Hypolite, Weller.

Referee: A Francis