Alpha clash with Slingerz in mouth watering Mayors Cup Football final

Apr 06, 2013 Sports

Following weeks of stiff rivalry and exciting football, Alpha ‘The Hammer’ United and Slingerz FC have extricated themselves from the crowd and will battle for championship honours when the finals of the Mayor’s Cup Football Championships get underway at the Guyana Football Club (GFC) Ground tomorrow evening.

Anthony ‘Awo’ Abrams

The two earned the right to battle for the prestigious prize after winning their respective semifinal encounters Thursday evening last; Alpha defeated Den Amstel 2-0 in a truncated game that ended controversially, while Slingerz sent the army packing 2-1. Philbert Moffat (3rd) and Anthony ‘Awo’ Abrams (48th) scored for Alpha, while Quason MacAulay (78th) and Olvis Mitchell (43rd) were on target for Slingerz. Sherwin Caesar had opened the army’s account in the 6th minute in what turned out to be inconsequential.
The Alpha /Den Amstel game started at a fast clip with both sides attempting to seize the advantage. Moffat broke away early in the game and delivered a thunderous kick and try as he might, Den Amstel custodian could not intercept. The West Demerara team refused to relinquish the pressure and the ‘Hammers’ had to dig deep in order to maintain their lead. They succeeded and left the field at the intermission with their one goal advantage.
The trouble started shortly after the start of the second session. After a keen tussle Den Amstel earned a free kick just outside the box of their goal. The player that took the kick tapped the ball towards his ‘keeper’ but Gregory ‘Jackie Chan’ Richardson intercepted and passed it over to Abrams. The latter player then tapped the ball past the advancing Den Amstel custodian and the referee awarded the goal to Alpha.
Den Amstel players protested saying that the player was simply spotting the ball to take the free kick. They then refused to continue the game despite the referee urging them to do so. After several minutes had elapsed and the players continued to show dissent, the referee blew the game off and awarded it to Alpha. Den Amstel rebelled and the ensuing confusion forced a delay to the start of the feature game between the GDF and Slingerz.
Organizer of the tournament, Lennox Arthur was disturbed by the sequence of events but said that the referees are in charge of the game and their rulings are final. He said that he has had to make some adjustments to the third place playoff after Den Amstel was ejected from the championships; the Guyana Defense Force will automatically place third.
Meanwhile, the organizer has compensated for that anomaly by staging two other matches on the final night. New Amsterdam United will play Rhythm Squad, while the GDF will battle with Golden Grove shortly before the championship match.
The winner of the Alpha/Slingerz encounter wins one million dollars with the runners up carting off half that amount. The GDF is already assured of the $300,000 third prize. Admission to the finals is $1500. (Michael Benjamin)