Digicel Caribbean Championship Group C hosts Cayman, were far from hospitable in their treatment of St. Martin on the pitch as they carved their way to a 3-0 victory against the French speaking territory. The smallest nation in the world to have ever been partitioned, were torn asunder repeatedly by Cayman’s swift flank attacks and fluid movement off the ball.

The Cayman islanders showed their attacking intentions early, as within 5 minutes of kickoff three attacks had already originated from their left side. Calvin Escobar Jefford was a lightning rod for passes as he seemed to be the main target man along the flanks for Cayman.

Within the opening 10 minutes of play, Cayman’s Mario Carter decided to take the St Martin defense on singlehandedly, beating 3 players on his way to goal before being taken out by a cynical challenge from Jean-Paul Arrondell. The resulting free kick did little to test Jean-Luc Marconnet between St Martin’s sticks.

St Martin had resorted to playing a high line, in the hope of trapping the Caymanians offside, and it worked to good effect in the first half with 6 offside calls, and both wingbacks able to match the Caymanians pace up front.

When St Martin did get a rare chance to go forward they did so with typical Gaelic flair and went close through Eric Daniel’s great solo effort which saw him beat 3 players before forging a shot on goal.

However, Gaelic flair seemed insufficient for the travelling St Martin team who resorted to a more physical approach to unsettle the Caymanians, the strike tandem of Malik Neijn and Eric Daniel seemed to have great awareness between them, and had it not been for a water tight Caymanian defense, they may have been successful on minute 20 when they combined to create another opportunity on goal.

Coach Carl Brown had seen enough, and strode out to the edge of his technical area to bellow instructions to his team, they responded almost immediately earning a freekick just outside the box. Gary Brandon would take the kick and a layer of paint off the crossbar as well, narrowly missing the top corner, with the first shot in anger by the Caymanians.

Moments later Calvin Escobar Jeffers broke away into the box with the goal in sight, only to be relieved of possession by a goal saving tackle from Arrondell.

Cayman had their best chance of the half in minute 40 when Mario Carter’s perfectly weighted pass found Jefford who beat his man, cut inside, and with the keeper slow to react, blasted over the bar.

First half extra time almost added insult to injury as a lobbed ball into the box was mishandled by Marconnet forcing him to scramble it clear at the feet of the oncoming strikers.

The second half was a completely different affair, as the Caymanians came out with a revised game plan, no longer did they look to beat their markers one on one, instead their passing game would make St Martin chase the ball. The new tactics proved effective immediately, as Jeffords left sided run looked like the goal was his destination, instead he gave up the ball to Jairo Sanchez and took up a position in the box; outnumbered 3 to 1, the odds weren’t in his favour, but Sanchez’s beautiful cross fell perfectly for a venomous volley that left the net in stitches.1-0 to Cayman.

Having cleared the cobwebs with the opening goal, Cayman hit a creative streak with a downward header from O’neill Taylor. Jeffers continued to impress earning a free kick that resulted in an audacious attempt to beat the French speaking Marconnet a la carte at the near post.

Jeffers was involved again in minute 68 when, after his cross from the right was completely miscued by Charles Emile, allowed a tap in for Jairo Sanchez to make it 2-0.

Jeffers would cap his man of the match performance in injury time in a carbon copy of the play that preceded it: Jeffers latched onto the long throw from his own keeper Leighton Elliot, plaited his way past the first defender, lobbed the second before stroking it into the path of the oncoming Nikolai Alexander Hill who made no mistake having come on just minutes before as a substitute.

Cayman storm to victory in front of a home crowd for the first time in the Digicel Championships, something to treasure with a visit from Hurricane Gustav expected within days. Next up for the Caymanians is the revenge match against Bermuda, while Antigua & Barbuda play St Martin.

Cayman Islands:  3. Phillip Mark Berry, 4. O’Neil Ricardo Taylor, 6. Ian Albert Lindo(17. Nikolai O. Alexander Hill 80th) 7. Calvin Rene Escobar Jefford, 9. Jairo Sanchez, 10. Ericksen Morfy – Brown (8. Ron Christopher Douglas 45 min), 12. Jermaine Dennis Brown, 13. Mario Rene Funez Carter, 15. John Kelly Jr. (20. Garth O’Neil Anderson min 70), 16. Gary Dion Brandon, 18. Leighton Elroy Elliott

Subs: (1. Tuda Murphy), (2. Ivan Trevor Gibbs), (5. Horace Nelson), (11. Carson David Fagan).

St. Martin: 1. Jean-Luc Marconnet, 2. Jean-Paul Arrondell, 3. Jerome Beausol, 4. Charles Emile, 5. Stanislas Adams, 6. Elvis Fleming, 7. Thierry Francis, 8. Malik Nejin, (16.Marckenson Pierre min 65),  9. Eric Daniel, 13. Youn Fantilus (10. Stevens Sequin min 38), 18. Joel Richardson

Subs: (12. Jean-Luis Richards), (14. Victor Richardson), (17. Francis Peterson), (22. David Saintil)

For match pictures and further information visit www.digicelfootball.com