ST JAMES, Jamaica — Two local football clubs have locked in their spots for the highly anticipated St James Football Association/Sandals Major League final, capping off two dramatic semi-final return legs hosted at Jarrett Park on Monday afternoon. Faulkland Football Club and Reggae Youths both overcame tough opposition to book their place in this Saturday’s title decider, with the added incentive of a spot in the upcoming Jamaica Football Championships qualifiers on the line for the eventual winner.
Faulkland FC delivered a dominant 4-1 victory over Montego Bay Boys Club on Monday, turning a narrow 2-0 first-leg advantage into a commanding 6-1 aggregate win. The match was put beyond doubt when substitute Radcliff Dawkins scored two quick fire goals just minutes after entering the pitch, sealing Faulkland’s place in the final. Earlier in the game, Tyshan Hill opened the scoring for Faulkland in the 36th minute, before Matthew Thorpe equalised from the penalty spot six minutes later to level the first half. Faulkland stepped up their attacking intensity after the break, netting three goals in just five minutes to eliminate their opponents: Jalani Nicholson put Faulkland ahead in the 76th minute, before Dawkins’ late double put the result beyond any dispute.
In the second semi-final, Reggae Youths and Heights FC produced a goal-packed 4-4 draw that kept spectators on the edge of their seats, with Reggae Youths edging the aggregate score 5-4 to claim their second consecutive spot in the Major League final. Trailing 1-0 from the first leg, Heights FC made a blistering start, scoring two quick goals in the first half to take a surprise lead. An own goal from Sebastian Robinson in the 22nd minute was followed by a close-range finish from Tevin Haughton just two minutes later, set up by former Jamaica national team player Allan Ottey.
Reggae Youths recovered quickly, however, with Anthony Gooden pulling one back in the 28th minute to level the aggregate score. Natoneil Wilson put Reggae Youths ahead before half time with a close-range header, before scoring his second of the game in the 50th minute to extend his side’s aggregate lead to 4-2. Ottey responded for Heights FC with a 59th minute goal, before Tyrique Scott restored Reggae Youths’ two-goal aggregate advantage. Haighton scored a late second for Heights in stoppage time to secure a 4-4 draw on the day, but it was not enough to overturn the aggregate deficit, sending Reggae Youths through to the final.
For Faulkland FC head coach Gregory Palmer, reaching the final is just the first step in a far more ambitious plan to return the parish of St James to top-flight Jamaican football. St James has not had a representative in the Jamaica Football Championships — the country’s second-tier competition — for four consecutive seasons, and Faulkland FC was the last parish side to compete at that level. Palmer says his squad is determined to end that drought, with the long-term goal of earning promotion to the Jamaica Premier League. “If it was up to me, we would have more than one St James team playing at that level, so this our aim, not just to play in the final, but to get to the Championships and then try to make it to the Premier League,” Palmer told reporters. The coach added that Monday’s lopsided result was no surprise, given his side’s strength across the pitch: “Based on the firepower we possess, we will always be able to score goals, because goals win games and defending win championships. We just need both units doing their jobs on match day.”
Reggae Youths, who lost last year’s final to Flankers FC, are looking to go one step further this season. Head coach Loren Salesman, who previously led the club to back-to-back league titles, acknowledged his side was forced to work hard for their place in the final after a shaky performance against Heights FC. “We were always on the back foot and we had plans to keep a clean sheet but we made too many mistakes. But I was never worried about our ability to score, I just knew we needed to avoid falling too far behind,” Salesman explained. With the final just days away, the coach says his squad will return to training to iron out errors ahead of their title shot: “We want to win the final so we are going back to the drawing board now and get some serious training in so we can do our best.”
The St James Major League final will kick off this Saturday, with the winner not only lifting the regional title but also advancing to the Jamaica Football Championships qualifiers, scheduled to begin the first week of June.