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Cellink Plus Premier League…Alpha humble Santos, Uprising, Pele draw
By Franklin Wilson
Defending champions Alpha United turned in another solid performance in taking full points against Santos in their latest Cellink Plus Premier League clash with Santos at the Tucville ground on Sunday night.
Alpha United’s Leon Grumble (2nd left) working in tandem with teammate Anthony Harding (No. 6) against the opposing Santos players. (Kaieteur Sport / Franklin Wilson photos)
The night’s opening match up saw bottom of the table Uprising pulling off what could be termed an upset, coming from a goal down to draw with Pele 1-1.
But Alpha’s 2-0 win over the solid looking Santos side have kept them in the hunt for championship honours again, being 3 points away from leaders Sunburst Camptown and two behind second placed Guyana Defence Force.
In a clash between national coaches Wayne ‘Wiggy’ Dover, head coach of the Golden Jaguars and Alpha, and his assistant at the national level Kavin Pearce, who was once his assistant at Alpha but now back at Santos as their head coach, Dover prevailed in style.
Santos looked solid in the first 18 minutes of the game, matching Alpha offensively and defensively.
The Tucville ground was also in good shape which encouraged excellent football on the night.
But it was the ever lurking and dangerous Alpha and national forward, Anthony ‘Awo’ Abrams who changed the mood and mode of the game as he always posed a serious threat to Santos’ backline.
Attacking the southern goal, Abrams who blasted in four goals against Rosignol in the Alpha United Carifesta X Football Festival last Thursday at the GFC ground, showed that his form is intact. He latched unto a pass on the right side and from just about 30 meters out and let fly a lethal right foot shot that rocketed into the back of the nets past goal keeper O’Neal Durant in the 18th minute.
The to and fro battle continued end to end as both teams continued to fight to gain the upper hand. Trying to gain the advantage in midfield were Golden Jaguars Glenorvan Edmonds (Santos) who scored in his first game for Guyana against Dominica in the DCC at the Providence and the seasoned Shawn Bishop for Alpha.
But it was Alpha, with a better oiled unit who prevailed at the end, Abrams, who continues to show excellent fitness and presence of mind combining with strike partner Elton Brown to close off Santos.
Abrams collected a pass midway into Santos’ half dribbled his way past a couple of opposing players in taking the ball almost to the goal line before squaring it into the box for to Brown whose first time header beat Heywood in the 77th minute.
It was a rock-solid performance from Alpha once again sending a sign to the front runners that they will not be giving up easily.
The opening game saw Uprising battling tooth and nail with Pele and they were rewarded for their persistence in the end.
Pele’s goal scorer Quincy Hemerding (#10) is kept in check by this Uprising player during their drawn encounter.
Pele took the lead through a Quincy Hemerding 14th minute effort but Uprising while being down showed great resolve in taking the fight to their opponents while creating a number of chances.
Pele lacked the desire to score whenever they created the necessary openings and Uprising sensing that, did a good job in containing them in the attacking third.
The lead for Pele stood until 8 minutes into the second half when forward Freeman Fordyce’s shot was banged into the goal with custodian Shemroy Arthur sprawling to the turf at the other end.
The final 13 minutes saw a desperate Pele pressing forward in search of the winner which never metalized.
The result saw Pele remaining in 6th place on 9 points while Uprising earned only their 2nd point of the league and remain at the bottom.
The full points standings: Sunburst Camptown 21, Guyana Defence Force 20, Alpha United 18, Georgetown Football Club 13, Fruta Conquerors 11, Pele 9, Santos 4 and Uprising 2.
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