The ‘Hammer’ strikes again, tame Tigers 2-0 in Namilco final

Dec 02, 2008 Sports

Fifth title for 2K8

Managing Director of Namilco Bert Sukhai (left of trophy) shaking hands with Alpha

By Franklin Wilson
Alpha ‘The hammer United’ underlined their status as best football club in the land with another clinical performance in disposing BK International Western Tigers 2-0 to win the 2008 Namilco Football Festival on Sunday evening at the National Stadium, Providence.

It was billed as a ding dong battle between the two best teams emerging from the 16-team tournament and that it was despite the final score line.

In the third place match up dubbed the battle of the juices, Sunburst Camptown defeated Fruta Conquerors 2-1 in overtime after a 1-1 score line at the end of regulation time.

The feature match was sweet revenge for Alpha who were booted out of the Sweet 16 competition in the first round by the Tigers 4-2 at the Plaisance ground.

This time around, ‘The Hammer’ fell and fell hard. Free kick specialist and ‘Golden Jaguar’ midfielder Shawn Bishop gave Alpha the lead in the 7th minute, a free kick just outside the box in front of goal.

The six man wall could not deny Bishop who placed the ball well past them and goalkeeper Peter Higgins.
Despite enjoying the advantage though, Alpha were not allowed to dominate as the West Ruimveldt boys battled tooth and nail as the old saying goes.

The Tigers came close to drawing level on quite a few occasions and perhaps can count themselves unlucky with the ball hitting the cross bar or going agonizingly wide of the uprights.

But they kept going at their opponents who to their credit absorbed what the Tigers had to offer and also countered with offensive moves of their own.

The second half started with the BK boys still in attacking mode and as it turned out it was almost a similar script to the first but rather than scoring early, Alpha kept back the goal for the closing moments.

Another ‘Golden Jaguar’ Dwain Jacobs unleashed a powerful rocket that exploded into the back of the Tigers’ nets to seal the game Alpha’s way.

The Namilco championship adds to their 2008 collection. The year started with them lifting the 18th Kashif and Shanghai championship followed by the Mayor’s Cup, Alpha Football Festival and the Cellink Premier League.

Alpha’s head coach Wayne ‘Wiggy’ Dover who is also Guyana’s senior head coach, complimented Western Tigers for a very good game but believed that his side was the more organized on the night.

Dover said the kind of high intensity soccer Western played was missing from the Premier League this year and is firmly of the view that Western Tigers is not a first division team and should be in the higher ranks. They are poised to make a grand return to the Premier League level in the 2009 season.

“I would like to commend my players for the dedication they have shown through the year since it is not very easy performing at this level on such a consistent basis.

Our President Odinga Lumumba has also played a major part on our success and as a team we would like publicly express our gratitude.” Dover also singled out his support staff for their role in the success story.

Shawn Bishop (left) & Dwayne Jacobs

Sunday’s third place win for Camptown over the rivals Conquerors was designed by goals from former ‘Golden Jaguar’ and Camptown’s most experienced player, Troy ‘Bugs’ Prescod who broke the dead lock in the 77th minute.

The game was an almost even affair up to that point. And in almost a repeat of their semi-final match against Alpha, Camptown allowed the opposing team to sneak in the equaliser in crunch time.

Manasseh Primo nailed the leveler for Conquerors with one minute to full time to go but Bevon Mosley tucked in the winner for the Camptown two minutes before the expiration of the half hour of extra time.

Sunday’s action brought an end to weeks of exciting play in the 2nd annual Namilco Football Festival which was organised by the Fruta Conquerors Football Club and forms a major part of club’s fund raising drive to uplift and upgrade their home ground at Tucville.

Managing Director of Namilco Bert Sukhai witnessed Sunday’s matches along with Finance Officer Ato Lakeram, Engineer Ralph Hemsing and Marketing Manager, Damon Pestano.

Alpha claimed the first prize of $400,000, Western Tigers $200,000, Camptown $100,000 and Conquerors $50,000.

A number of individual prizes were also up for grabs and will be handed out at the presentation ceremony which date will be announced shortly.

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