Den Amstel Porknockers edged Silver Shattas in a five-goal thriller 3-2 when action in the Georgetown Football Association (GFA)/Banks Beer Knockout Cup continued on Saturday at the Den Amstel Community ground.
In soggy conditions, Colwyn David opened the scoring in the very first minute of play for the Linden side, with a powerfully struck right-footed effort from within the left side of the penalty box, that custodian Ryan Hunte could only parry into the right side of the net.
Den Amstel would level proceedings 10 minutes later from the penalty mark through a Delon Lanferman spot kick, following a rash challenge by the Linden shot stopper Kellon Major on the aforementioned forward inside the area in a one-on-one situation.
A constant threat through his combination of deft touches and searing pace, mercurial winger John Waldron forced a top draw save from Hunte in the 30th minute, with a powerful left-footed drive after easily dancing round his right fullback marker.
Waldron however would not be denied, silencing the partisan faithful in the 34th minute with a cannon of a left-footed strike into the roof of the net from the left side of the box, after being played through by a superb Deon Carter forward pass from the centre of the midfield.
The second period would turn out to be a tale of two halves as Silver Shattas was reduced to 10 men in the 54th minute as centre half Geshawn Freeman was shown a straight red, for denying Orett Stephenson a clear goal scoring opportunity inside the 18-yard box while running backwards to defend a lobbed pass.
Tasked with taking the resulting penalty kick, Lanferman would have his right-sided strike denied superbly by the diving Major low to his left.
Den Amstel’s numerical advantage would pay dividends three minutes later as Andre Hector found the back of the net with a strike to the left hand corner after receiving a left-sided squared pass from inside the 18-yard box.
Wild celebrations in the raucous gathering would ensue as the West Bank unit took the lead for the first time in the 70th minute through a moment of sheer quality from their Lithuanian-based left winger Trayon Bobb.
Carrying the ball just outside the left upright after skipping past his marker on the left flank, the FK Kruoja player with the outside of his right foot, from an acute angle, placed his strike expertly into the lower right-hand corner to seal his perfect homecoming.
Bobb almost made it 4-2 in the 75th minute as his left-sided volleyed effort from a right-sided cross came crashing off the crossbar, much to the relief of the Silver Shattas backline.
Forced into a defensive posture for most of the second period due to their statistical handicap, the Linden side almost levelled the score line in the 83rd minute as Waldron forced a great save from Hunte low to his right from point blank range with a shot from the centre of the 18- yard box.
Desperate to find the equaliser, Silver Shattas would be denied again in the 90th minute as David directed his right-footed strike onto the crossbar from the right side of the penalty box after receiving a left- sided cross.
In the opening fixture, Milerock edged Beacons by a 1-0 score line compliments of a Clarence Huggins 61st minute strike.
