Dixon hat trick punctuates emphatic CC
Clarendon College engineer dominant daCosta Cup title defence
Published:Sunday | December 10, 2023 | 12:17 AMOrane Buchanan - Staff Reporter
IF EVER there was a statement victory, it was witnessed on Saturday night inside the National Stadium as defending ISSA/Digicel daCosta Cup champions, Clarendon College (CC), retained their title, defeating parish rivals Glenmuir, 6-2, on the back of a hat trick from the lethal Kaheim Dixon.
Having lost the previous week, 3-2, to Glenmuir in the final of the Champions Cup, Clarendon College started very quickly with revenge on their mind.
Talisman Dixon, who was in a no-nonsense mood, sent his team up 1-0 in the second minute of play, converting from close range on the back of a typical all-round CC build-up play.
By the ninth minute, the lead would double, Jahmelle Ashley popping up at the far post to hammer his effort into the roof of the Glenmuir net.
Now facing a 0-2 deficit, Glenmuir woke up with Orane Watson gifted a chance to pull one back. Unfortunately for the team wanting to beat CC for the second time in a week, Watson could only watch his effort scampered wide of the intended target.
That missed opportunity would prove costly.
Dixon, in the 21st minute, showed composure and trickery, weaving his way past defenders to slam home his second. It was 4-0 by the 39th minute, Ashley completing his brace courtesy of a well-directed header.
In the second half, Glenmuir got on to the scoresheet via an own goal from Romario Thompson in the 53rd.
Clarendon College would respond in emphatic fashion, Deandre Gallimore absolutely lacing his in 68th-minute right-footer into the Glenmuir net.
But Glenmuir weren’t going to down without a fight, pulling back another goal through Oral Miller in the 75th.
Fittingly, Dixon, in time added, completed his hat trick, leaving defenders in his shadow, giving Clarendon College their sixth on the evening.
Lenworth Hyde, head coach of Clarendon College, was happy his players could have got the job done.
“I’m very happy, elated and I’m happy for my players. The players were hell-bent that they would leave everything on the pitch and they worked hard from the start. We pumped them up for this game. The loss the other day just made them hungrier for this one,” said Hyde.
Andrew Peart, head coach of Glenmuir, said it was hard to get back into the game based on the start his team had.
“That was the start that they wanted because they’re a rhythm team. In the second half we had a little more control, even though it was end to end, but it was a tough start and it’s hard to dig yourself out in a final from there,” Peart explained.