Riddim Squad and the Guyana Police Force (GPF) sealed their berths to the quarterfinal round of the Stag Nations Cup after dismissing Cougars and Rosignol United respectively on Saturday at the No. #5 ground, Berbice.
Riddim Squad overcame Cougars 5-2 with Kevin Gordon opening the scoring in the 21stminute, finishing clinically from inside the box after latching onto a right side cross.
Midfielder Sceyon Hope made it 2-0 four minutes onward compliments of a penalty kick conversion following an infraction inside the area.
The Berbicians eventually pulled one back in the 40th minute as Trevon Hazel scored, slotting into the back of the net after collecting a squared pass across the penalty box.
Upon resumption, another penalty kick in the 62nd minute restored Riddim Squad’s two goal lead as Dellon John blasted a right foot shot into the lower left corner.
Cougars once again clawed their way back into the contest as they were awarded a penalty kick for a wild lunge in the 71st minute. Devon James made no mistake from the mark as placed his right foot effort into the lower right corner.
However, that was the furthest Cougars came to overturning the score as their custodian gifted Riddim Squad a fourth goal in the 79th minute, knocking the wind out of their proverbial sails.
A Teon Jones cross from the left side fell into the onrushing path of Kevin Agard, who mistimed his first time effort, only for the custodian to leave the ball to roll into the back of the net after misjudging his position.
Despite being in control of proceedings, Riddim Squad was reduced to 10 players as Shevin Hope was issued with a red card in the 88th minute.
Another goalkeeping blunder in the 90th+3 sealed the result for the visitors as a tame shot from Jones inside the left side of the box, rolled under the goalkeeper and into the back of the net
Meanwhile, the lawmen riddled Rosignol United 13-2. The contest was effectively over at the halftime interval at 7-2 despite the opening 25 minutes witnessing GPF holding a slim 3-2 lead.
Lawmen Keenon Rajgopaul, Kester Dundas and Quincy Holder were on target during the aforesaid exchange in the 11th, 14th and 21st minute respectively while the Berbicians fought back through Oswin Carmichael and Calvin McKenzie in the eighth and 24th minute apiece.
It was from this point that GPF seized control of the contest, reducing it to a lopsided contest compliments of 10 unanswered goals.
Holder completed his hat-trick with two more goals in the 43rd and 44th minute while Grayson Barker was next best scorer with a double in the 68th and 84thminute.
Getting into the goal rush were Anthio Wallace, Junior Gordon, Dwayne Charles, Jermaine Castello, Jermaine Grandison and Rawle Turnell in the 26th, 30th, 47th, 70th, 90th and 90th+2 minute correspondingly.
The event will resume on Wednesday at the National Track and Field Centre at Leonora. In the opening fixture at 18:00hrs, Uitvlugt will oppose Northern Rangers while Pouderoyen will tackle Mahaica Determinators at 20:00hrs.
