Never a doubt

Mount Pleasant match winner ready for RSPL as Dunbeholden also secure promotion

Having helped Cavalier to promotion in the past and with penalty kicks being his responsibility, veteran midfielder Horace ‘Weed Seed’ Sharpe was a picture of calmness and assurance as he stepped up in added time to score from the spot and send Mount Pleasant Football Academy into the Red Stripe Premier League.

Sharpe’s stoppage-time goal, which came in the first minute of added time, handed the newly established St Ann team a dramatic 2-1 win away to Barbican yesterday and secured a historic berth in the country’s top flight.

The dreadlocked midfielder said he was never nervous about the responsibility and noted that he was galvanised by the confidence shown in him by his teammates.

“It is a great feeling knowing that Mount Pleasant is now a Premier League team,” Sharpe told STAR Sports yesterday. “It is my responsibility, my trademark as all the players believe in me and I showed no nerves in scoring the penalty. I just accepted and put it past the goalie.”

WITHOUT A POINT

Mount Pleasant joined Dunbeholden as the two qualifiers to the nation’s top flight after the Magnum/Charley’s JB/JFF Premier League promotion playoff series ended. Dunbeholden, who beat Wadadah 4-0 at Jarrett Park yesterday, finished on 12 points, ahead of Mount Pleasant (11), Barbican (nine) and Wadadah, who ended without a point after six games.

With the game tied at 1-1 entering seven minutes of added time, FIFA referee Oshane Nation pointed to the spot, after Barbican’s captain and central defender Ramone McGregor handled the ball inside the area. The dreadlocked Sharpe calmly scored the goal that sent his team into the Premier League for the first time in the club’s two-year history.

Mount Pleasant’s top striker Kessian Hall had earlier fired them into the lead in the sixth minute, but Andrew Christie later equalised for Barbican from the penalty spot in the 48th minute.

The 32-year-old Sharpe, who has also represented Tivoli Gardens and Arnett Gardens in the Premier League, is already looking forward to the Premier League season with Mount Pleasant.

“I am ready for the Premier League. We will need to focus as I know that couple players will be coming in to give us some help. I am really looking forward to next season,” said the former St Jago schoolboy star, who was a member of his school’s Walker Cup championship team in 2003.