Buxton United recorded a major upset in the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Stag Beer Elite League, defeating third-placed unit the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) 2-1 on Tuesday at the Camp Ayanganna ground.
It was a disappointing performance from the home side after their hard-fought win over Pele days earlier as they conceded goals from Delon Wright and Kwadjo Garnett in the 23rd and 49th minutes respectively. Scoring in the loss was Delroy Fraser in the 68th minute.
As a result of the win, Buxton United climb to nine points and move into the sixth position. On the other hand, GDF remains in the third spot with 11 points.
The matchup started brightly for the home side and they almost took the lead in the 14th minute as Eusi Phillips directed his header over the crossbar from within the six-yard box, after collecting a left-sided cross while racing into the area.
The visitors quickly capitalized on the host’s misfortune as Wright found the back of the net nine minutes onward with an audacious lobbed shot from 45 yards out on the left side of the field which sailed over the keeper and into the right-hand corner.
However, Buxton’s celebrations were almost short-lived as Phillips recorded an unbelievable miss in the 24th minute, crashing his diving header onto the crossbar from within the six-yard box, after collecting a perfectly placed right-sided cross from Delwyn Fraser.
On the other end, Garnett should have made it 2-0 in the 35th minute as a right-sided cross evaded the entire backline and fell into his onrushing path, only for the forward to miss his attempted right-footed shot.
Garnett eventually made amends four minutes into the second stanza, heading the ball just over the goal-line according to the assistant referee despite the desperate attempted clearance by the final defender. Garnett capitalised on a right-sided cross within the left side of the six-yard box.
With a two-goal cushion at their disposal, the Buxtonians entered a phase of complacency. This eventually led to the home side narrowing the deficit in the 68th minute as Fraser scored with an unchallenged header within the centre of the box into the right-hand corner, after collecting a perfectly placed right-sided cross.
This concession seemed to spark the East Coast of Demerara outfit to life as they began to defend staunchly to maintain their advantage.
Nevertheless the home side almost snatched the dramatic equaliser in the 90th+3 minute as a curling Selwyn Isaacs right-footed free kick from 30 yards out in the centre of the park, sailed narrowly wide of the left hand corner.
The opening matchup of the night witnessed Fruta Conquerors downing Monedderlust FC by a 1-0 score line.
Winner of the round will pocket $4,000,000 while the second, third and fourth-place teams will collect $2,000,000, $1,000,000 and $500,000 respectively. Similarly, the points leader prior to the knockout stage in the League Genesis round will pocket an additional $1,000,000.
