Army blitzes Mahaica
Teamwork was the key to BV/Triumph United defeating Fruta Conquerors 4-1, while a Gavin Wilson hat trick guided the GDF to a four-nil drubbing over Mahaica Determinators, when action in the Mackeson Stout/Digicel sponsored Bakewell Buxton Stars Sweet 16 tournament kicked off on Tuesday night at the Plaisance Community Centre ground.
After the Army’s victory over Mahaica, football fans may have felt the same fate awaited the BV team but they soon proved them wrong when they applied pressure to their opponents from the word go.
Led by a Delroy ‘Coolie Bully’ Deen double (7th and 76th) along with strikes from Shawn ‘Berbician’ Daniels (15th) and Royan Atkinson (82nd) along with sturdy defence from their custodian Linden Dennis, BV/Triumph sent their more illustrious opponents packing from the tournament.
Gerald Gittens pulled one back for his team on the stroke of the lemon time whistle but it was not good enough as Dennis proved to be an impenetrable wall; blocking, punching and even effecting saves leaving the Fruta Conquerors frustrated at the end of the game.
Both Deen and Daniels were at the Conquerors’ door from the opening whistle, forcing their custodian Oswald Cornette to pull off numerous saves. But Deen was not to be denied; he worked his way inside the box and beat Cornette in the sixth minute. The scoreline could have read 2-0 in favour of BV/Triumph five minutes later, but Deen failed to get sufficient control of a pass from Daniels who then scored the second goal for his team with a beautiful header from a corner kick taken from the right side by Rommel Gordon.
While their forwards were working overtime to increase the team’s lead, BV/Triumph’s defence backline: Colin Jones, Seon McDowell, Charles Bovell and Desmond Williams and Dennis, did their best to hold off the challenges presented by Gittens, Manasseh Primo and Teon Carr. Gittens pulled one back for his team following a goal-mouth scrimmage from a corner kick and at lemon time, BV/Triumph led 2-1.
In the second half of the game Dennis again proved his worth between the uprights for his team; thwarting the efforts of the orange-clad South Ruimveldt-based team. At the other end, both Deen and Daniels with support from Atkinson, Gordon and to a lesser extent Yannick Smith and Kelvin Williams exposed a weak Fruta Conquerors’ defence. It came as no surprise when Deen found the back of the net.
Following a long ball from Dennis who had just foiled Gittens, Deen worked his way inside the box and beat a hapless Cornette on the far post to spark off celebrations and at the same time, knock the wind out of the Conquerors’ sails. Atkinson sealed the win with his goal six minutes later, to ensure that his team will face the GDF in their next match at the same venue.
In the curtain raiser, GDF signalled their intentions from the opening whistle when a Shawn Arthur shot taken from midway inside Mahaica’s half, rebounded off the chest of their custodian Jason Johnson.
Wilson made sure the effort did not go to waste when his shot from a Marlon Benjamin pass found the back of the net in the sixth minute to give his team the lead.
Soon after Warren Gilkes attempted to increase same but his shot went over the cross bar with Johnson out of position.
Arthur, Eusi ‘Boneyman’ Phillips, Royan Morrison and Desford Williams led the Army’s charge toward their opponent’s goal but stubborn resistance from skipper Terry Caesar, Jamal Garnette and at times Johnson, prevented the lead from being more than one nil at the half.
The Determinators looked a better team in the second half, but their defence lacked co-ordination due to the absence of several key players, who were at the venue. However, when the GDF regrouped, the Determinators withered and Wilson and company took advantage.
A Morrison free kick taken in the 58th minute found an unmarked Wilson in the box and he calmly kicked the ball to the back of the net. Thirteen minutes later Morrison smiled when he sent off a low scorcher past a bewildered Johnson even as Caesar led from the front with numerous runs, the support staff were missing in action.
Everything went haywire for Mahaica when custodian Johnson sustained an injury and was forced to continue the game as no substitute goalkeeper had been on hand. Johnson completed the final 15 minutes of the encounter handicapped by his injury which Wilson capitalized on to find the back of the net from a goal-mouth scrimmage.
The army’s coaching staff then introduced substitute custodian Dellon Younge into the game and he was called into action five minutes later when he met Julian Heart in a one-on-one skirmish.
Younge’s acrobatics when he pulled off a save from Heart’s boot which had ‘goal’ written all over it triggered resounding applause both from fans and teammates on the field and on the substitute bench.
The sound of the official whistle signalling the end of the game couldn’t have brought relief sooner to the battle-weary Determinators.
Action in the competition which is now in its second year on the East Coast will continue tonight with defending champions Sunburst Camptown against the Golden Stars and East Coast league champions Buxton United facing Ann’s Grove at the same venue. Kick-off time is 6 pm.
