John Fernandes Insurance Services Ltd 2nd Division Hockey League...Western Union Hikers lead after first round

John Fernandes Insurance Services Ltd 2nd Division Hockey League…Western Union Hikers lead after first round

Apr 20, 2013 Sports

Defending Champions, Western Union Hikers, have stormed to the lead at the end of the first round of the two round John Fernandes Insurance Services Ltd Second Division hockey league with their only loss of the pool being to second placed All Greys.

Airbenders midfielder Maria Munroe in control against GCC.

With the top three teams capturing 12 points each, goal difference separates them and places GCC in third place, while Old Fort, Airbenders and Saints round out the pool in those respective positions.
In their most recent duel with arch-rivals GCC, the Hikers managed to stave off a rain of attacks from the Bourda machine to secure the 1-0 victory. After the first half failed to produce any goals despite sound efforts from both sides, a goalmouth scramble in the 45th minute fell kindly to newcomer Royden Ramroop who tapped in his first goal of the season. GCC looked threatening to the final whistle but failed to balance the deficit and giving Hikers a full three points and the lead in the first round of competition with a plus 8 goal difference (goals scored minus goals conceded).
Second place All Greys took the majority of their clash with Old Fort to score their lone goal of the match. Old Fort fought bravely against the second placed All Greys with Dwight Allen and goalkeeper David Williams in particular playing solid defence to keep Old Fort in contention. Their 1-0 victory however has kept All Greys within striking distance of the trophy.
GCC took out the Airbenders (comprising of the national ladies squad) with a 2-0 victory on the following afternoon to keep them in third place in the pool. Stuart Gonsalves and Shebiki Baptiste each scored one for the victors in the 11th and 40th minute respectively.
The Airbenders, however, managed to salvage some pride in their very next match against Saints when Samantha Fernandes struck in the 52nd minute with the lone goal of the match. This 1-0 victory completed the first outright victory in the tournament during regulation time for the Airbenders.

GCC’s Stuart Gonsalves is challenged by Michael Harding of the Hikers

The lone match to date for the second round saw Old Fort off to a fine start as they pulled off an upset victory over GCC by 2-1. Old Fort led from the beginning when Keon Evans put his side up by one in the 8th minute of play and Anthony Cole buried a second in the 29th minute. The second half saw most of the action at the Old Fort end, but GCC could only manage to pull back a lone goal through Leonard George in the 51st giving Old Fort the 2-1 victory.
Matches resume at Saints ground today with All Greys facing GCC at 14:30 hrs and Old Fort taking on the Hikers at 16:00hrs.