GCC get the better of Hikers

Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) captured three divisions and Hikers one as the Mr. Topper’s indoor hockey tournament ended at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall Sunday night.

Sonia Jardine, second from right, scores the winning penalty corner against Hikers in the women’s final.

They won the women’s Open by edging Hikers 4-3; the men’s second division where again they edged Hikers 5-4 and the veterans’ final defeating Old Fort in sudden death.

GCC were, however, denied a clean sweep of the titles by Hikers who stopped them 5-4 in the men’s first division final.

In a replay of last Friday’s first division thriller, Hikers led 2-1 at half time through goals from Robert France in the fourth minute and Rayon Branford in the ninth.

Kevin Spencer scored for GCC two minutes from half time through a penalty corner.

GCC quickly equalized upon resumption through Orland Semple who manoeuvered the ball from center line towards the goal superbly dodging oncoming defenders, before slotting the ball home.

Hikers recaptured the lead three minutes later with a goal from Alex Gouveia but GCC’s Alan Fernandes scored almost as soon as he entered the game with a brusque goal in the 29th minute.

Four minutes later, Spencer scored from his second penalty corner.

A bad miss by Hikers in the 35th minute proved no cause for concern when three minutes later France equalized before Devin Munroe secured the game winner a minute later.

GCC went in search of the goal which would have sent the game into sudden death but as the seconds vanished the GCC players became more and more desperate for the equalizer all to no avail.

Munroe was adjudged the Most Valuable Player (MVP) for the category.

GCC’s success continued in the ladies final when goals from Shebiki Baptiste, Amanda Garnett, Ulrica Sutherland gave them a 3-0 half time lead.

In the second half, however, Hikers roared back into contention through a goal from national player Avonda James in the 22nd minute while Tricia Woodford and Cora Towler followed with goals one minute apart from each other.

But with seconds to go GCC’s Sonia Jardine scored the game winner from the penalty spot. Jardine was named the female MVP.

In the second division category, GCC defeated Hikers ‘1’ 5 – 4 to emerge winners.

Steven Xavier netted a double for GCC while Stuart Gonsalves, Trevon Smith and Leonard George were the other goalscorers.

Hikers’ goals came from Rayon Brandford who scored a double and Akeem Thompson and Antonio Pemberton.

In the veterans’ final Old Fort and GCC were deadlocked on five goals each at the end of regulation time.

For Old Fort, Gavin Hope scored a hat-trick while Andre Leal and Dexter Williams added a goal each. For GCC, Philip Fernandes scored a double while Stephen and David Fernandes and Devin Hooper netted the other goals.

In the sudden death play off Alan Fernandes scored the game winner some eight minutes into extra time for the victory.

He was subsequently named MVP.

In the second division third-place play off, Hikers ‘2’ defeated Old Fort 3-0 with goals from Trevon Younge, Jamarj Assanah and Kenny Kansinally.