GFF Super League…
Alpha United took their carpenters to Linden on Sunday at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground and hammered Milerock United 2-0 to extend their lead in the inaugural Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Super League competition.
The game between the two teams was played at a brisk tempo from the start with the two teams just about sharing possession and the number of attempts to goal.
Milerock, who were in sixth place prior to the match, seemed set to give the highly vocal crowd at the venue a night to remember with their level of play but squandered several clear goal opportunities.
Already lacking a striker who could cause problems for the Howard Lowe-marshalled Alpha defense, national player Shawn Bishop came the closest to scoring after pouncing on a ball spilled by Milerock’s goalkeeper Jamal Forde from an Andrew Murray Jr., shot.
Bishop was all alone when he pounced on the ball but his rocket left-footer slammed against the cross bar and the Milerock defence managed to clear the ball before he could get off an second shot.
Things begun to look shady for the Georgetown team in the 37th minute when they were reduced to 10 men after midfielder Quincy Madramootoo was given a straight red card for his strike on a Milerock player directly in front of the fourth official.
The speed of play naver wavered for the rest of the first half and the two teams went back to their dressing rooms with the score 0-0.
In the second half, Alpha United changed their approach spreading their players out across the field which made it look as though it was the home side who were a man down.
Bishop continued his persistent attack on Milerock’s defense and it paid off in 50th minute when he once again picked up a ball from another spill by the goalkeeper but this time he made no mistake this time around in finding the back of the net.
Milerock fell further behind 11 minutes (61st) later when Leon Grumble easily touched a ball in from a Bishop free kick from the right flank of the western goal.
And although Alpha United was able to create many more chances Milerock’s goalkeeper had become extremely alert.
But too late, too late, was the cry as the city team picked up full points.
They now have 11 points from five games and are the only undefeated team in the league.
Meanwhile, in the opening game, forward Jamie Wilson slotted in a double (35th and 44th minutes) and Delon McAllister scored in the 31st minute to give Bakewell Topp XX a much needed 3-0 win over Victoria Kings.
The Linden team, once Guyana’s leading football club, used their youthful line-up to literally outplay the East Coast team at both ends of the field.
Over at the Uitvlugt Community Centre ground, Buxton United secured their first win of the tournament with a 2-1 victory over Seawall United.
Already having three loses in the tournament the Buxtonians picked up three points with their aggressive type football.
Clive Andries just on the stroke of half time sent the eventual winners in the lead but when play resumed Seawall United was able to score in the 79th minute thanks to a Delon Layne strike.
Colwin Barnwell in the 85th minute netted the game winner for Buxton who will now play the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) at the Plaisance Ground this Sunday when the league continues.
Victoria Kings will try to rebound against Sunburst Camptown while Alpha United will head to Bartica to face Liquid Gold and Rosignol United.
In the final game of the round, Rosignol United and Milerock will clash at the Blairmont Community Centre.
