BK Int. Western Tigers roars to K&S Championship

Jan 03, 2010 Sports

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Soften Alpha ‘The Hammer” United 2-0; Sunburst Camptown thump Pele 4-2 for 3rd

By Franklin Wilson
BK International Western Tigers on the strength of a goal each by the strike duo of Devon Millington and Dwayne Ali in the final 10 minutes of an exhilarating battle, guided the Tigers to their first ever Kashif and Shanghai Championship win via a 2-0 margin over Alpha ‘The Hammer’ United at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence on New Year’s Night.
Sunburst Camptown led by a double from their Captain Nigel ‘Powers’ Codrington erased a two goal deficit to bang their way to the third place 4-2 over Pele.
The 20th edition of Guyana’s most prestigious knock-out tournament ended in grand fashion, a packed and animated Stadium and determined teams battling in the middle adding up to a perfect New Year’s night.
Both Alpha and Western Tigers predicted victory but it was the more determined and disciplined of the two that prevailed following intense exchanges. The encounter commenced with Alpha as they had promised, on the offensive against the more subdued Western Tigers unit.
Alpha, Guyana’s most successful club, practically boasting a national slate were odds on favorites to claim their 2nd championship but were faced by a determined and well oiled band of Tigers who were hungrier for championship glory.
Alpha’s Dwight Peters and T&T based Akeem Armstrong enjoyed some enterprising moments up front as they created numerous opening’s in the first half but the man standing between them and scoring turned out to be the sensational Derrick Carter in goal, his Captain Dillon Fraser also enjoying another good game.
The overlapping right back for Alpha, Dwain Jacobs along with Walter Moore and Issa McPherson were all visible as they sought to subdue the Tigers who never backed off from the challenge but played a patient game.
The Tigers were guilty of giving up too much space in the midfield in the first half but as the game progressed, they {Western}gradually grew in confidence with Millington and Ali hounding down the opposition’s defence, being fed with some great balls by midfielder Shawn Beveney. Former National Captain and midfielder Christopher Giles who flew in for the game also made a good contribution for the Tigers.
The first 45 minutes saw no goals being scored, the trend in the tournament with strikers having to work overtime to penetrate, continuing.
The intensity of the match increased in the second half, so did the crowd support which was just majestic. Neither team were prepared to allow the other any leverage but as the game matured it was clear that the pressure was building Alpha’s way.
That pressure finally took a toll on the ‘Hammer’, as they pressed forward in search of a goal, the Tigers with the nippy Millington engineered a number of counterattacks and it was just a matter of time before Alpha’s defence cracked.
Decisive Period
As has been the case in so many grueling encounters, the final minutes proved to be the downfall of the Hammer.
Millington was rewarded for consistent nagging having come close to scoring on no more than four occasions with the go ahead goal in the 84th minute; the effects were almost dagger-like, the Alpha defence being hoodwinked.
But the game was not over yet the Tigers finally had their opponents floored and went in for the kill in grand style.
The highly skilled Shawn Beveney took matters into his own hands with two minutes to game time. He moved with the ball to the left side of the six yard area at the southern goal and with his trademark crossovers (his feet over the ball) somehow had the Alpha defence watching his movements momentarily. As they observed him, Beveney smartly slipped the ball through to the waiting Ali who in the same motion banged the ball past Ronson Williams which brought a great roar from the Western supporters as they sensed that it was now a done deal.
Four minutes later which included two minutes of added on time, referee Roland Persaud blew the final whistle which meant that it was the first time Western Tigers became champions of the Kashif and Shanghai tournament after going down in the 2002/2003 final to fellow city side Fruta Conquerors.
Third place duel
Sunburst Camptown rebounded in style led by Codrington to defeat Pele 4-2 to claim the third place. Pele, were dominant in the first half as Camptown never really settled down to the task. Pele’s main strike force in Gregory ‘Jackie Chan’ Richardson and Mervin Joseph nailed first half efforts.
Richardson hit the network in the 31st minute as Camptown’s defence failed to contain him, Joseph emulating his teammate in the 43rd minute, two minutes to half time, underlining the dominance of Pele in the half.
Whatever Coach Gilbert Sampson and his support staff told the Camptown players at the break saw a great improvement in their level of play in the second half as they went about the job of erasing the deficit in a businesslike manner.
Pele substituted their goalie Ronney Aloema by introducing Shemroy Arthur early in the half and this was followed by Camptown who made a double change with Norris Carter making way for Kwame La Fleur and Kester Alleyne returning from suspension replacing Sherwin Cadogan.
Their introduction was a master stroke as it allowed Codrington to move up to the strike line from midfield, La Fleur inserted into midfield.
It was vintage Codrington on show as he showed his Power and class up front.
He blasted the nets in the 63rd and 70th minute to nullify Pele’s advantage before Telson McKinnon in the 84th converted the go ahead goal; substitute Kwame La Fleur underlined his importance to the Camptown attack with the sealer in the 87th minute.
The presentation of prizes will be done at a date and venue to be announced shortly.

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