A defensive masterclass, coupled with grit and a never-say-die attitude, propelled Wynberg Boys’ High to a 1-0 victory over Grey High in Cape Town in a Friday Nite Lights showdown.
The sides delivered a spectacle that will be remembered for years by the jovial crowd that gathered at the Astro of Dreams.
Wynberg headed into the clash on the back of a 0-4 loss to rivals Bishops last week, while Grey’s Reunion match with Queen’s College was abandoned due to bad weather in the Eastern Cape.
The atmosphere around the AstroTurf was second to none, and both sets of schools came out in large numbers, filling the stands to the rafters.
On the field, it was a fiercely contested battle, and it took a strike by Wynberg’s talisman, Mustapha Kajee, to break the deadlock.
Grey responded by upping the ante and subjected the hosts to heavy pressure.
They created more than a handful of goalscoring opportunities, including several short corners, but Wynberg’s defence held firm.
The latter parts of the game were nervy for the home side, but they showed composure inside the circle to prevent Grey from levelling the scores.
“The game was a special one for both schools, as it was the 30th anniversary of this schoolboy derby,” Wynberg’s head coach Devin Stanton told SuperSport Schools News.
“Besides us scoring, I believe the biggest turning point in the game was our penalty corner defence. Grey had 10 or more PCs, but we didn’t concede a goal.
“My main message to the players was simple: we have come so far, so let’s just keep pushing hard through the tough phases of play.
“When you are playing a top team, it doesn’t just come down to the skill and tactical level. It’s the mentality to believe you can win and, when you are winning, to control that belief until the end.”
The victory for coach Stanton and his side comes at a crucial time in the season. Besides the loss to Bishops a week ago, they also suffered a 2-3 defeat at the hands of Fairmont High in a league fixture earlier this month.
Stanton said they made some adjustments ahead of the Grey clash. “We changed player positions and worked hard throughout the week on making better decisions on the ball.”
Wynberg next faces Paarl Gimnasium, a side that will be eager to bounce back after going down 1-2 to Bishops on Friday night.
Stanton believes the Grey victory will give his side confidence and belief, but acknowledged that there’s still plenty of work to be done.
“We hadn’t beaten Grey in eight years, so a result of this nature will definitely increase the belief that, on the day, no matter what, we have a chance to win.
“We have been on the receiving end of this type of result, so we will stay humble and prepare for our next game against Paarl Gim in the correct manner.”
Result
Wynberg Boys’ High 1-0 Grey High
