Anguilla, with a 1-0 win over Antigua and Barbuda, finished unbeaten and top of the Women's U-20 World Cup Qualifying Group as the tournament concluded on Saturday, July 20, 2013. Photo: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO

Phoenitia Browne scored four times for St Kitts/Nevis in the 11-0 rout of the BVI. The win ensured St Kitts joins Anguilla in round two. Photo: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO

Brittany Lawrence scored a hat trick and stood out as one of the tournament's best players. Photo: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO

SKN's number 9 also had a stand out tournament and scored twice in the last game before taking a well earned rest late in the game. Photo: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO

Shinell McCalla also scored twice in the last game, including a penalty that just evaded the diving Brittany Peters. Photo: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO

Kai Jamie Jacobs was probably Antigua's best player, but in the last game against Anguilla not even she could unlock the defense. Photo: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO

A high flying Taursha Millette was just one of several Antiguan players who saw goal bound efforts blocked, saved or come back off the woodwork against Anguilla. Photo: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO

Anguilla, who completed the Tournament with 9 points, continued their rearguard policy of sit back, soak up the pressure and then hit their opponents on the break, which had worked so well in the second half against St Kitts. The Anguillans edged Antigua and Barbuda 1-0.

In the second game, St Kitts and Nevis (SKN) turned on the afterburners and smashed 11 unanswered goals past the BVI.

Playing with fluidity, skill and speed, St Kitts simply over ran the hosts with Phoenitia Browne scoring four times, Brittany Lawrence a hat trick and both Shinell McCalla and Kerisha Powell a brace.

“All eleven of their players were soccer players, were skillful, had flair, had the desire to win and never let off no matter what the stage of the game or the score line,” commented the BVI Coach Kate Rowson, who was given a three week contract to be with the team.

 “Again for the third game running we conceded a goal inside the first 10 – 15 minutes. In the first half too we had the desire, but didn’t have the shape. We were going into plays too quickly and their players were able to skip by. At half time we spoke about the shape of midfield as they were over running us and we spoke about not diving in on challenges, but we let in a couple of early goals again,” Coach Kate told Virgin Islands News Online.

The BVI squad was very inexperienced and young compared to especially St. Kitts, but Coach Kate hopes the Tournament, which was for many their first taste of a higher level of competition, will be a stepping stone for better things to come.

“I have said from the start that it’s not about the results, but don’t get me wrong tonight was very disappointing, but  its more about the learning experience of the girls and I think that in the future they will be keen to get together as a squad and build on that. I think they have appreciated the experience and for me the highlight has been meeting and getting to know the girls. If I had to pick some stand out players then I would say Lavern Fahie, Kezia Gumbs and Victoria Medley-Parkins. However, two players really surprised me with their effort and the way they embraced this sort of training camp- Tia Racquel Modeste and Jachisha Rigobert. They took on board absolutely everything, were courteous, well mannered, polite and tried 100% all the time.”

With their big win, St Kitts/Nevis finished second in the group and will join Anguilla in the next round where they will come up against the more Traditional Caribbean football powerhouses.

“Trust me the feeling is tremendous, I’m so proud of the girls,” exulted SKN Coach, Lester Morris. “Tonight showed the difference the pitch can make. On a surface like tonight we were able to get the ball down on the ground and play it around like I know we can. We have to go back home and now work a bit a harder. It’s the second time we have progressed and we know what to expect from the likes of Trinidad, Cuba and Jamaica and hopefully can get some good results.”

When pushed, Coach Morris finally singled out some of his stand out players, but felt the whole team had been brilliant. “Brittany Lawrence, Phoenitia Browne and my Captain Tarvia Phillips stood out, but we played as a team and were successful as a team.”

Anguilla withstood almost 90 minutes of all out attack from Antigua and Barbuda in the early match and just as they had against SKN held firm before Jamisha Jones popped up to fire home from a Roxanna Bradshaw corner with less than 5 minutes to go. The win ensured Anguilla finished top of the group.

“The players had heart and I’m very pleased,” said Anguilla’s Coach Colin Johnson. “We didn’t play to our best, but that’s football and we did enough to get the win.”

Coach Johnson also explained that the team had decided to win the game for one of their players who was suspended having received two yellow cards previously in the tournament. “We played this game especially for Shadwa Richardson. She had done well in the previous games and especially in the last game against SKN. We gave her a key job in marking their star player out of the game and she took a yellow card in the process, but did her job. My central defenders also did excellent, my Captain, Colleen Johnson and of course Tamisha Richardson, who scored the crucial goals also stood out though.”