Sports
Roneil Walcott
– Photo courtesy Presentation College Chaguanas’ Instagram page
PRESENTATION College Chaguanas were confirmed as the fourth boys’ Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) championship division winner for the 2025 season, after the league’s appeals committee upheld an earlier decision to grant the school all three points for an abandoned match with Chaguanas North Secondary on September 22.
On October 13, the league’s disciplinary committee awarded a 3-0 win to Presentation for their away clash to Chaguanas North after the referee deemed that the latter school insufficiently marked the Edinburgh 500 Recreation Ground venue – leading to the game’s abandonment. Chaguanas North appealed the disciplinary committee’s decision three days later, claiming they had done all in their power to bring the field up to the required standard before the scheduled kickoff time.
On October 22, the SSFL’s appeals committee of Forbes Persaud, Rudolph Hope and chairman Derek West reviewed the details of Chaguanas North’s case virtually and upheld the disciplinary committee’s prior decision to give Presentation the win for the former team’s alleged ill-prepared surface. Chaguanas North received the final verdict on October 24.
In its appeal, Chaguanas North officials contended that the referee acted ultra vires in his decision to abandon the game, while they suggested a precedent had been set in the preceding season when a game between Presentation and Carapichaima West Secondary was rescheduled owing to issues with the field markings prepared by the “Pres” team.
However, the West-led appeals committee unanimously agreed with the decision by the disciplinary committee that the referee had “ultimate authority to enforce the Laws of the Game, with their decision on all matters of fact being final.”
Citing Law 1, The Field of Play, the appeals committee said, “the referee assigned to the game ruled that in his opinion requirements under Law 1 were not met, and as a result the game could not be played.”
When the teams met in the reverse fixture on October 14, Presentation defeated Chaguanas North 3-1 and they eventually finished atop the central zone on 27 points from ten games. Chaguanas North finished second on 22 points.
Now that the boardroom matter has been cleared up, Presentation can look forward to the First Citizens Boys’ “Big 5” campaign as they continue their hunt for premier division football.
Presentation will be on a bye when the Big 5 kicks off on October 29, but they will open their campaign when they face Tobago’s championship division winners Speyside Secondary on November 1.
Hillview College (east) and Mucurapo West Secondary (north) are the two other schools who have so far booked their Big 5 spots. The top three teams at the end of the Big 5 will gain promotion for the 2026 premier division season.
Standings:
Team*GP*W*D*L*GF*GA*GD*Pts
Presentation (Chaguanas)*10*9*0*1*37*7*30*27
Chaguanas North*10*7*1*2*41*12*29*22
Couva West*10*7*0*3*29*12*17*21
Carapichaima West*10*4*1*5*25*20*5*13
Tabaquite*10*0*2*8*10*38*-28*2
Cunupia Secondary*10*0*2*8*6*59*-53*2
