Right time, Wright man for Elite

By Cayman Sports Buzz
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Updated: 1 February 2017

Dwayne Wright (file photo)

A last-gasp injury time penalty broke Scholars International’s hearts Sunday (29 January) and rescued a point for Elite under the lights at West Bay’s Ed Bush Sports Complex.

Dwayne Wright was the man deemed to have the coolest head, and a minute into the two minutes of added time, Wright stepped up and coolly slotted the equaliser from the penalty spot, to ensure Elite left with a share of the spoils.

Earlier, this had been billed as the heavyweight contest of the weekend. Champion’s Scholars versus Elite, whom they edged for the title last May. It was the team in the darker shade of blue who will leave the most disappointed.

When Rolly Bodden scored the second of his brace on the night from the penalty spot on 74 minutes, the points were there for Scholars to take. 2-1 up with the clock ticking it was time to manage the minutes. See out the final quarter or so and secure the win.

It wasn’t to be.

No one likes to see anything other than gung ho style play with both teams desperate to score, but where Scholars failed on the night was their inability to kill the game. It gave Elite a glimmer of hope, which they took with both hands.

Elite started the game brighter. The front pairing of Andres Ruiz and Raul Rodriguez have a good understanding. Throw Jermaine Wilson into the mix and it’s enough to put the jitters up any back four.

But despite their good start, it was Scholars who took the lead. A cross field pass from Dwayne Dunk was hooked back into the danger area and headed home by Bodden.

Elite kept their discipline, and you could sense an equaliser was on its way.

It came not long into the second half. Wilson slotting it home after an initial good save from Jermaine Brown in Scholars’ goal.

With 15 minutes to go Bodden, a constant thorn in Elite’s side, was challenged in the area and the referee pointed to the spot. The Scholars forward dusted himself off from the earlier challenge and fired the spot kick in off the cross bar.

It should have been enough to ensure the win.

But not long after the fourth official indicated just two minutes of injury time to be added, a long throw into a crowded Scholar’s penalty area caused confusion and the referee spotted a push and had no choice but to point to the spot.

Dwayne Wright was the right man for the job. The ball from his boot did as it has five other times this season and found the back of the net.