Dinthill opens up about heartbreak, dramatic rise
October 18, 2019Dinthill Technical High School, which started the football season with defeat after defeat on the field, has continued to capitalize on the luck that revived it, winning the two last matches it played so far in the ISSA/WATA daCosta Cup Football Competition.
The team yesterday defeated Central High 1-0 in its first encounter of the second round, played at Juici Field. Karim Bryan scored the crucial goal.
Dinthill’s coach, Xavier Gilbert, now in his second season at the school, is not ruling out the possibility of taking the trophy to the institution in Linstead, St Catherine.
“Once you are in it, you have a chance. That has been our objective all season,” he told The Beacon. “Our objective is to challenge for the title and I don’t think that has changed.”
Dinthill, which reached the semi-finals last year, was the overall winner in 1979 and 1981.
To attain such feat a third time, Dinthill intends to strategize and execute.
“We just have to work on the tactics now and the mental aspect of the players. Once you put those things together, then we are in good stead,” the coach said.
His team almost missed a position in the second round of the competition. It, however, had a twist of fate after earning six crucial points off the field.
Dinthill got those points after winning an appeal it filed against Charlemont High, which used an ineligible player in the two matches it played against Dinthill Technical.
“It’s an unfortunate situation,” said Dinthill’s coach. “I empathize with Charlemont, but that is out of our hands.”
The ruling against Charlemont High gave Dinthill a new lease of life, lifting it from the bottom of Zone K to the second position.
“The situation gave us a lifeline and we are grateful for that. It is not something that we really wanted to happen so that we can advance; that was never the case. But that’s the way it is; it is out of our control and the fortunate thing for us is that we benefit from it and we are happy for that,” the coach added.
He admitted that the early losses took a toll on the squad. “It was heartbreaking to the fans, spectators and everybody seeing us at the bottom of the table. They are not used to that. Normally we are the powerhouse of the group.”
Riding on the six points it was awarded off the field, Dinthill went on to secure its only win on the field in Zone K, defeating zone winner McGrath High, 1-0. It also advanced to the second round of the competition.
Dinthill, in the meantime, will host its second second-round match on Saturday, October 19, when it plays Central High, starting at 3PM.
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