In cricket, catches, they say, win matches. In football, it is brilliant saves from goalkeepers. One such save was effected ironically by Berbician Jolyon Lewis representing GT All Stars on Sunday at the Georgetown Football Club.
The save denied Hearts of Oak Football Club of Berbice from lifting the Simeon Andrews and Ashton Taylor trophies when the curtain came down on the Double Delight Masters football competition on Sunday at the Georgetown Football Club ground.
The GT All Stars team was, as its name suggested, filled with stars of yesteryear. The team included striker Anthony `Lambada’ Stanton, Nicky Thompson, Terrence Archer, Selwyn Bailey and Ron Austin all former national players.
Hearts of Oak on the other hand, boasted players like Sam Jones, Neil `Grizzly’ Humphrey, Kurt Alphonso, Terry Simpson and Phillip Carringtion, players some of whom had represented Guyana at the senior and national levels.
But it was Berbician Lewis who stole the show. Lewis is a utility ball player who is equally at home as a defender or a striker. On Sunday he proved that he could be a goalkeeper as well.
Lewis first gave an inkling of what was to come when in the Sudden Death penalty semi-final shoot-out against Pele he rebuffed Clive Perrys shot which allowed GT All Stars to advance to the final.
Hearts of Oak on the other hand, was proving to be the surprise team of the tournament getting past Starliners on Saturday before getting the better of Rastafarian Patriachs again in a penalty shoot-out in the semi-final on Sunday after the two teams had battled to a 0-0 draw.
In the final Hearts of Oak and GT All Stars battled to a 1-1 draw at regulation time and it was into Sudden Death penalty shoot-out.
With the score reading 3-2 in GT All Stars favour and Hearts of Oak Sam Jones at the penalty spot, Lewis capped an amazing tournament with a magnificent save from the former national youth player.
His performance earned him the MVP and the best goalkeeper awards.
