Academy thumps Tigers in premier league opener

By Cayman Sports Buzz
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Updated: 28 October 2017

Trey Ebanks scored on either side of the interval for Academy.

Academy Sports Club hammered Tigers Football Club 7-1 to open the 2017/18 CIFA Men’s Premier League season at the Annex on Saturday, 14 October in a game that saw two players score their first league goals for the club.

Academy applied the pressure early and often. Teenager Trey Ebanks opened the scoring in the 5^th minute when he tapped in a shot in front of a crowded goal, somersaulting his way towards his teammates on the bench with his first Premier League tally.

The second goal came in the 18^th minute when Finigan Huffington hammered a shot from the top of the 18-yard box into the bottom right corner of the goal to give Academy a 2-0 lead and also went airborne for his celebrations.

Appearing in control of the game, Academy got a third compliments 2016/17 Cayman Sports Buzz Footballer of the Year and last season’s leading goal scorer, Jonah Ebanks in the 33^rd minute after he penetrated the defence and made it count.

Celebration time: Finigan Huffington somersaults after his goal.

Just after play resumed, Academy’s lead widened when they continued to apply pressure on the Tigers goal. It became 4-0 when Jonah Ebanks shot towards goal ricocheted off defender Rex Bush and into the back of the net. It was unfortunate for Bush, who was having a solid game on debut for Tigers after making the switch from Scholars International.

Trey, the younger of the Ebanks brothers, made the most of his opportunity to start when he got his brace in the 49^th minute. Ebanks pushed forward on the right side and drove the ball past a helpless Luigi Ordonez in goal.

Substitute Jabari Campbell extended the lead in the 67^th minute with his first career goal for the senior side, but six minutes later, Tyrese Berry put Tigers FC on the scoresheet.

As though playing a top-four team from last season was not enough of a challenge, Tigers went down a player when Enrique Ruiz was sent off after a skirmish that also saw Academy’s Jermaine Wilson picking up a yellow card.

Kion Parchmont ensured his name was recorded in the box-score when he beat the keeper in the 86^th minute to make the final 7-1 in favour of Academy.

Academy SC Coach Jack Brazil, who expects to be contending for the title this season, was not overly thrilled with what he saw from his players in the Week 1 fixture.

“I know we can do a lot better than we did today. We scored seven goals but the overall performance of the team was very disappointing. When we come up against the teams that we really want to be competing with…we’re going to have to play a hell of a lot better than that,” he told CaymanSportsBuzz.com.

Brazil though was pleased to see young players like Campbell and Trey Ebanks made an impact, while scoring goals. “That shows how well we’re progressing the youth.”

Academy was without new signing, striker Mark Ebanks, who made the move from Future after leading the First Division in scoring last season. He’s expected back in time for the club’s next game against Bodden Town in two weeks.

Jermaine Wilson “adds a bit of creativity in the midfield.”

Brazil was happy with the inclusion of other signings: Wilson (Elite SC) who “adds a bit of creativity in the midfield that we didn’t have last season” and Anfernee Wright (Cayman Athletic) at left back to fills a gap that existed last season when Brazil was utilising wingers to stand in.

Meantime, Tigers FC coach Gonzalo McLaughlin summed up his team’s play. “I saw more energy in the second half. They were more composed with the passing and trying to get something out of the game. In the first half, they were more laid back and not doing what they were supposed to do in transition.”

While, he’s not expecting to compete for a title with one of the youngest teams in the competition, McLaughlin has goals he wants to meet.

“Looking ahead, we’re hoping to get the formula right so we could start playing some good football for the fans to come out and watch. We have a lot of young players in the side, so we are looking forward to them stepping up and getting more exposure at this level to benefit them when they want to go off to college and play,” he said, noting that his side features quite a few 17-year-old and 18-year-old players.