Football: Airtel Cup-Pierre strikes to clinch a point for The Lions |24 March 2006

Sunshine could only manage a disappointing draw in a match where they created some decent chances.

In the eighth minute Michel Oreddy galloped down the right flank but he miscued his shot when in acres of space.

A minute later Ronny Rose and Nerick Athanase combined for a short corner and the latter's cross was met by Mickey Songoire who flashed his header wide.

Kenyan Moses Wanyoike tested goalie Philip Battin with a long range effort which he tipped over in the twelfth minute.

Sunshine were finding gaps in The Lions defence who were missing the suspended Johnny Moustache and in the 24th minute Athanase brought a good save out of goalie Kitson Cecile.

The boys of coach Danny Laurette should have gone ahead in the 29th minute as Athanase, from a clearly offside position which was not signalled, bore on goal but found goalie Cecile in magnificent form to deny him.

The Lions grew in confidence in the latter stages of this half and in the 39th minute Hendrick Labrosse pounced on a poor back header by defender Steven Constance but he blazed the chance over the bar.

Labrosse again was unlucky in the 42nd minute after the Sunshine goalie had punched out Allen Louise's corner in his path. His low drive was cleared on the goalline.

They were made to rue their misses as Sunshine countered with speed and Athanase eluded two defenders to centre to Rose who looked offside but was given the benefit of the doubt as he shot into the roof of the net.

Rose went agonisingly close to increase the lead in the opening minutes of the second half as he got a lucky bounce but he could not bring the ball down to rifle in a shot with only the goalie to beat.

Athanase's pace troubled The Lions defenders and in the 48th minute he left them in his wake but the impressive Jerry Dick recovered in time to thwart the danger.

In the 50th minute Denis Barbe sprung The Lions' offside trap and shot through goalie Kitson Cecile's legs but the latter did enough to slow the roll of the ball allowing his defenders to clear in the nick of time.
In the 52nd minute, Sunshine paid the price for wayward finishing as Kenneth Lozaique lofted a hopeful ball to Michel Pierre whose glancing header found refuge in the roof of the net to make it 1-1.

The Lions were now roaring and on the hour Louise's cross should have been tucked home with three of his colleagues unmarked at the far post but they got in each other's way with Pierre heading across goal.

In the 65th minute referee Jacques Andre almost gave The Lions a clear scoring opportunity as he failed to signal a blatant foul on defender Nelson Emile.  But fortunately for Sunshine Labrosse's shot lacked the sting to trouble Bathin.
In the dying stages, Rose should have secured the points after pouncing on a defensive mistake but he made a meal of the chance.

The last chance to win the match fell to George Ravinia in the 89th minute as substitute Jean Paul Aglaé drove forward and cut back to him.  But he completely missed a seater which was laid on a plate.

The Lions coach Jean-Marc Benstrong was satisfied as he felt his team were getting with time.

As for Sunshine manager Serge Rouillon, he felt his team wasted too many chances which cost them the points.

                                                                  R. J.L