Vincy steers T&T football club to Super League victory

Vincentian footballer Durwin Arty Ross, known locally as “Ortega,” has helped steer his club, FC Santa Rosa, to the top of the Super League in Trinidad and Tobago.

Last December, Ross, a defensive midfielder from Calliaqua, helped his club clinch the 2016 title with a 2-nil victory over relegation-threatened Real Maracas FC. The title is the first won by Santa Rosa in its five seasons in the 14-team Super League.

Ross, who has also played in the TT Pro League for several seasons, joined the club early in the 2015 season, transferring from La Horquetta FC.

Santa Rosa challenged for a top four finish until late in the 2015 season, eventually fading to finish seventh. This season, however, the Big Cannons, as the team is called, took charge of the Super League from the third week and remained in first place until the end of the 26-match schedule. Santa Rosa conceded the least goals of all 14 teams (27) and had the best goal difference by far (26).

The importance of Ross to the Big Cannons defending was highlighted by Big Cannons’ coach Keith Look Loy.

“Arty is the key to our collective defending. He provides an advanced screen for the back four and is responsible for putting out fires in midfield before they reach the defence. He is also the best man marker in the team and I assign him to mark the dangerous midfield playmakers and goal scorers in opposing teams. His defensive energy and warrior spirit were key in transforming the team into a serious opponent last season and into champions this season,” said Loy.

The coach said that Ross has become a favourite of the Rosa Nation, as Santa Rosa’s supporters are known, while his popularity and his contribution on the field saw Ross being voted the club’s Most Valuable Player of the Year, an award which he received on Saturday, December 10, in front of hundreds of people at Santa Rosa’s 2016 Awards function.

“Arty deserves a rest now. And he has the off-season to look forward to in order to restore his energy. The man is a warrior and wants to play every minute of every match,” Loy said, adding that 2017 is not far off and FC Santa Rosa plans on Ross being there to defend its hard won title.