The ladies game gave a subtle indication of what was in store for the night when Hikers displaced GCC Tigers 4 – 3 at the reconvening of the Mr. Topper’s Indoor Hockey Tournament at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall on Wednesday night.
The Tigers with a slack defence and an equally weak offence in the first half missed several goals while facilitating a field goal for Hikers in the fourth minute from Cora Towler, followed by a penalty corner scored by Vashema Bourne in the sixth minute.
Though they failed to put in any goals by the end of half time, the Tigers nevertheless improved on their game in the second period. Tigers after a failed penalty corner finally came to life to download two consecutive goals in the 29th and 30th minute from Ulrica Surtherland and Tiffany Solomon, respectively.
National striker, Avonda James, scored her team’s last two goals in the 24th and 31st minute while the last goal was scored by GCC’s team captain, Sonia Jardine.
Dying minutes
Newcomer Jonelle Webster delivered a stupendous denial of a GCC penalty stroke in the dying minutes of the game, simultaneously preventing a draw while securing a win for Hikers.
In the heated veterans clash that followed, GCC vets crushed Old Fort by 9 – 5 as field goals rained throughout the match.
Despite Old Fort’s aggressive approach and early lead with an acrobatic goal from Gavin Hope three minutes in, their option to play with a kicker back and not a goalie made it easy for GCC to swipe goals into Old Fort’s mostly unguarded net.
Despite two goals from Andre Leal, one from Robert Hussain and a second one from Hope in the 30th minute it was not enough to curtail GCC in raining goals.
For GCC, Devin Hooper managed three goals while the Fernandes brothers, Alan, Philip and Stephen, each netted doubles.
Forty minutes of game time proved insufficient to separate the Hikers 2 and Western Dragons as their second division battle ended in a 4 – 4 stalemate. Jamarj Assanah netted a double for the Hikers while Colonel Heywood and Aroydy Branford scored one a piece.
Dragon’s Deon Carew matched Assanah’s double goals and teammates Jermaine Murray and Deon Branford added one each.
Saving the best for last the feature first division match between GCC and Old Fort gave a dramatic close to the evening’s encounters when the match between the two ended with a 3 – 3 deadlock.
Hope gave a replay of his earlier performance opening Old Fort’s account in the third minute with a quick flick goal, followed two minutes later with a goal from teammate Chris Low–Koan. Their two-goal lead however was short-lived, ending with a goal from Devin Hooper in the ninth minute followed by a double whopper from Orland Semple.
Still holding down their one goal lead into the dying minutes, a victory for GCC appeared certain but a late goal from Low–Koan one minute from fulltime closed the score card even, and ensured Old Fort a place in the finals.
Action continues tonight with the GCC Spartans taking on Hikers in the ladies division and Hikers men clashing with GCC in the feature men’s first division clash.
The three second division matches scheduled will pit Police against Hikers 2, GCC vs. Old Fort, and Hikers 1 vs. Western Dragons. Action begins at 18:00 hrs.
