Pele tackles Sunburst Camptown; Alpha face Bakewell Topp XX

Dec 28, 2010 Sports

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New Champions will be crowned when the curtains comes down on the 21st Edition of Guyana’s premiere football tournament on Saturday night at the National Stadium, Providence.
Last evening at the same venue, defending champions BK International Western Tigers were knocked out by two-time champs Sunburst Camptown 3-2 in the opening game of the night; Nigel Codrington working his way back to full fitness netted a double for Camptown.
In the feature game, Pele after missing more than a dozen goals got the better of Santos 2-0 to set up a semi-final clash with Camptown.
The other two teams battling for a place in the final are Alpha United and Bakewell Topp XX.
Both teams won their respective quarter-final matches on Sunday night at the Mackenzie Sports Club Ground.
Bakewell Topp XX on account of a late goal off the boots of Travis Waterton defeated the Guyana Defense Force 2-1 while Alpha ‘The Hammer’ United backed by a brace from Kithson Bain trounced Netrockers 5-1.
Watched by a small but vociferous crowd, Pele and Santos played exciting fast paced football but again the heart rate of many fans kept fluctuating ever so often with the many misses, their constant agonizing roars saturated the atmosphere at regular intervals.
The first half ended with neither team being able to decisively penetrate the attacking third; Pele fashioned many raids and should have hit the network but couldn’t. Santos stood up to the challenge admirably and they too came close on a few occasions in an exciting opening 45 minutes. The half ended with the crowd applauding both teams, a scenario that is not common locally but a reminder that the fans loves to see good entertaining action.
Both teams would have taken the 15 minute break at the half to refocus on the task of booking the final semi final spot that was up for the taking but Pele it was who signaled that they were going for broke.
Two minutes into the second half nippy forward Devon Millington who won the last championship with former champs BK International Western Tigers but now a Loan Player with Pele, finally broke the deadlock by tucking the ball past goalkeeper Oneal Heywood.
The score line could have been more devastating but Pele maintained the trend of teams wasting scoring opportunities with ease, a situation that the Technical departments for the final four teams will have to work on urgently.
Gregory Richardson, who was one of the culprits, finally inked his name on the score sheets with a goal in the 3rd minute of added on time (90+3) to seal Santos’ fate and their place in the final four. Pele also sent Santos packing in the last tournament and despite a number of former Pele players transferring to Santos; the latter could not find a way to stop Pele.
Camptown, in search of their Third Championship, survived a late scare from the defending champs to advance.
Miscommunication in defense by Western’s Captain and Central defender Dillon Fraser who did not control the ball totally allowed the onrushing Devon Forde to hit in Camptown’s opening goal in the 12th minute.
Codrington, though, came in for special attention from the Tigers but kept his focus on the game. In tandem with veteran Troy Prescod, the two controlled the game for the winners.
He {Codrington}doubled the lead for Camptown with a beautifully taken free kick after he was fouled just outside the box. The ensuing kick reduced the players in the wall and goalkeeper Carter to spectators as not a man moved. All they did was watch the ball sail into the nets in eth 37th minute.
The lead was increased to three 3 minutes into the second half, Codrington again on target. While Camptown felt they were sitting comfortably with a three goal advantage, the Tigers had other ideas.
The final 20 minutes of the game saw Camptown’s defense way too relaxed as the Tigers went on a rampage which almost saw them neutralizing Camptown’s advantage.
Nedd Fraser reduced the deficit in the 75th minute and with two minutes to full time Lorenzo Duesbury pulled another one back for the former champs.
Time however, was not on their side and even with three minutes of added on time, Western Tigers were sent packing from the tournament, Camptown winning 3-2.
On Sunday evening at the Mackenzie Sports Club Ground, Bakewell Topp XX continues to demonstrate why they are the most successful team in the history of the tournament with a hard fought 2-1 over the Guyana Defense Force.
The Bakewell boys have always cut down accomplished teams and despite having a young side has chalked up their third win of the competition; having not been in the group-of-16 they have recorded wins against Ann’s Grove United 2-1, Caribbean United 2-0 and now the GDF.
Keon Sears handed the home team the lead in the 24th minute with the Army leveling the score in the 49th minute through Delroy Deen goal.
With the knowledge that a semi final berth was at stake, both teams went at each other and just when the battle seemed set for extra time, veteran Travis Waterton sneaked in the winner from a goal scrimmage with one minute to full time.
The goal brought the fans at the Mackenzie Sports Club Ground to life and a sense of achievement to the Bakewell boys who will now face even a tougher task when they engage Alpha United in semi final play tomorrow at the Stadium.
Alpha made light work of Netrockers winning 5-1 and has now scored a total of 11 goals while letting in one.
The margin of victory could have easily been double but poor finishing again especially by Anthony ‘Awo’ Abrams saw the score line remaining the way it ended.
Grenadian striker Kithson Bain who plays in the Trinidad and Tobago Pro League netted a brace (15, 22) for Alpha Captain Howard Lowe with a well placed header in added on time in the first half (46) accounted for the third goal, Abrams converted in the 47th minute while Dwight Peters completed the win in the 84th minute.
Netrockers’ most prolific goal scorer, Matthew Pollard scored his side’s consolation goal from the penalty spot in the 39th minute.
Semi final action is set for tomorrow at the Stadium with Alpha taking on Bakewell Topp XX in the opening game at 18:00hrs; Pele takes on Sunburst Camptown in the feature match-up with the respective winners clashing for the 2010/2011 championship in the grand finals on Saturday night.

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