Slingerz FC solidified their status as kings of the West Demerara region, humbling derby rivals Den Amstel Porknockers 4-0 when the quarterfinal round of the Georgetown Football Association (GFA)/Banks Beer Cup concluded on Friday at the Tucville ground.
Attired in their vibrant orange and black attire, left fullback Walter Moore fired the first warning shot for the Vergenoegen side in the fifth minute with a thunderous effort from the left side that whisked just over the crossbar.
Den Amstel should have taken the lead in the 12th minute through Trayon Bobb, only for the diminutive winger’s
strike from inside the six-yard box after collecting a Delon Lanferman pass to go straight at custodian Ronson Williams.
Referred to as ‘FC Hollywood’ on some occasions because of their star power, Slingerz would break the deadlock in the 22nd minute through a Vurlon Mills strike.
Latching onto a missed ball by the Den Amstel defender from a Slingerz clearance, Mills would evade his defensive marker before thumping his right footed effort into the net from just on top of the 18-yard area.
The midfield dynamo should have doubled his personal tally in the 31st minute. Displaying great skill to control the ball between the two centre halves, Mills would have his strike smothered by the onrushing Den Amstel goalkeeper, as he took too long to take the strike.
Slingerz captain Dwain Jacobs almost doubled his side’s lead nine minutes later but his strike from the centre of the box with the outside of his right boot, bounced just wide of sneaking inside the right post.
Upon the resumption of the second period, Mills would force a superb save from the Den Amstel shot stopper in the 50th minute low to his left, with a flat, right-footed strike from the right side of the 18-yard box.
Slingerz would eventually double their lead in the 60th minute through a Colin Nelson effort from inside the centre of the penalty area, which deflected into left hand corner of the net following a goal mouth scramble from a resulting left-side corner kick.
The score line would change once again seven minutes later as substitute striker Devon Millington penned his name on the scorer’s sheet with a strike from the left side of the penalty area.
Evading two challenges with a marauding solo run from just outside the left side of the penalty area, Millington, upon slipping the ball to Kevon Woodley inside the centre of the box, would receive the return pass, before finishing his strike into the back of the net.
Slingerz would seal their semi-final spot in the 78th minute as Jamaal Harvey found the back of the net with a powerful right footed strike from the right side of the 18-yard box.
To add insult to injury for the Den Amstel side, midfielder Andre Hector was shown a red card in the 90th+2 minute for violent conduct due to him stomping on the ankle of centre half Nelson.
Slingerz coach, Charles Pollard during a post-match comment said:“I always wanted to play them on a larger field because we are the best passing the ball. We did our work, we were good offensive and defensively and we shut out one of their best players in Trayon Bobb.”
Losing coach, O’Neil Heywood in an invited comment said:“They outplayed us and showed they are the better team. We have to give them credit for that, we have a young team and we satisfied with how far we got in the tournament.
“We lost to a more experienced team and we wish them the best of luck for the tournament going forward,” said Heywood.
With the win, Slingerz will now face off with West Ruimveldt giants BK Western Tigers in the semi-final round, following the latter’s 1-0 win over Beterverwagting (BV)/Triumph United in their quarterfinal fixture earlier in the evening.
