GCC victorious in GT&T national indoors championships

Defending first division champs Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) overcame Old Fort 5-4 to register their win in the GT&T National Indoor Championships on Wednesday at the National Gymnasium on Mandela Avenue.

Aderemi Simon gave Old Fort the initial lead in the eighth minute, chipping his shot over advancing keeper into the middle of the goal, after skipping past two defenders just outside the left side of the shooting arc.

The Bourda-based side then levelled the scores three minutes later when Orland Semple netted, pouncing on a loose ball within the centre of the box before finishing to the empty net.

Old Fort then retook the lead in the 13th minute compliments of a John Abrahams attempt, placing his effort into the net after receiving a pass within the centre of the area.

The sea-saw affair continued when Devin Hooper levelled for GCC in the 18th minute with a simple finish into an empty net, after his left-sided initial effort was deflected back into his path.

GCC then took the lead for the first time when Semple completed his double in the 25th minute with a flat strike down the middle of the goal, following a penalty corner attempt.

Not wanting to go down without a fight, Old Fort levelled proceedings in the 32nd minute when Abrahams sealed his double, rifling his right-sided effort into the lower left hand corner, following a quick counterattack from a botched GCC penalty corner opportunity.

However, Semple pushed GCC back in front one minute later with an attempt into the centre of the goal, after receiving a left-sided pass.

Steven Xavier then made it 5-3 in the 36th minute, blasting his attempt into the roof of the goal, after receiving a right-sided pass within the right side of the arc.

With the seconds ticking away and staring down a two-goal deficit, Old Fort eventually pulled one back in the final seconds of the 40-minute fixture as Askofu Simon scored with a finish to the right-hand corner from the left side of the field.

GCC continued their winning ways in the veterans section as they defeated arch-rivals Hikers by a 3-1 score line. Devin Hooper led the winners with a double while Phillip Fernandes scored a solo effort. Netting for the losers in the second period was Devin Munroe.

The second first division fixture of the night saw the National u-19 men defeating Saints 3-2. Mark Sargeant, Aroydy Branford and Kareem McKenzie were on target for the winners in the sixth, eighth and 24th minutes respectively.

Joel Hunte and Paramanand Dindial were on target for the losers in the 16th and 27th minutes correspondingly.

In the Ladies division, defending champs GCC Tigers brushed aside Hikers 9-0 compliments of a Kerensa Fernandes helmet trick in the 10th, 11th, 13th and 15th minutes and an Aaliyah Gordon hat trick in the 14th, 22nd and 23th minutes.

Completing the score with solo strikes in the 24th and 27th minutes were Ulrica Sutherland and Ashley DeGroot respectively. The second match-up of the section saw GCC Spice downing the National u-19 side by a 7-0 margin.

Sonia Jardine netted a five-goal haul on either side of the half in the third, fifth, 11th, 17th and 26th minutes while Dacia Woodroffe and Vanessa Pires sealed the win in the 10th and 13th minutes correspondingly.

In the lone second division fixture, Hikers led by doubles from Travon Younge and Reginald Harper defeated Kingston 6-0. Younge netted his brace in the fourth and 29th minutes while Harper scored in the 17th and 27th minutes.

Ensuring the win were Laured Stewart and S. Garnette in the sixth and 11th minutes respectively. The action is set to continue at the same venue today with six programmed match-ups.