Intense rivalries continue at Mackeson ‘Keep Your Five Alive’

May 11, 2013 Sports

Intense rivalries continued at the 2013 Mackeson ‘Keep Your Five Alive’ football competition at the National Cultural Centre tarmac Thursday night with the first round favourite teams ensuring that they qualify for the next phase albeit via thin margins.
Leopold Street opened the night’s proceedings with a 3-1 win over Sophia ‘A’ on penalty kicks after a nil-all stalemate in regulation time. Turkeyen then won 1-0 against Hadfield Street, which

Vryheid’s Lust goal scorer, Chriswell Williams (left) advances in the keen battle against East La Penitence Thursday night in the Mackeson ‘Keep Your Five Alive’ at the National Cultural Centre tarmac.

set the tone for a night of nail-biting finishes.
The lanky forward, Chriswell Williams entertained the large crowd that turned out to the popular venue with exceptional skill for Vryheid’s Lust Champs. Williams scored the lone goal that gave his team a 1-0 edge against East La Penitence. It was a first half strike that eventually put the East Coast-based team ahead for good in the game.
It was not surprising that known football figures dominated the best two games of the night when Devon Millington and Dennis Edwards were on target for Sparta Boss against a North Ruimveldt team that was hapless against superior wit and skill.
The fixture was the third of only three games to be decided in regulation time. It was a touch of class from former national footballer, Millington, who killed the knee height cross from Edwards, and finished for a clinical goal in the only the second minute. Edwards finished in the sixth minute that gave Sparta Boss the triumph.
The team was just contented with playing defence in the second half, having already established a healthy advantage. In the other games, Berlin defeated Stevedore; Broad Street won against the other Hadfield Street team; Back Circle engulfed Box of Money and Festival City ousted Tiger Bay all in penalty shootouts to bring the curtains down on the third night of the competition that will move to California Square again tonight from 8pm.
The tournament is being held under the theme “Your skill, your style, your five, your stout” with the aim of continuing to unearth hidden talent within communities. It is a knockout contest which will see the surviving team pocketing $300,000 and trophy while the second place team is to take home 150,000 and trophy.
Each game lasts 15 minutes; 7½ minutes per half with no extra time allowed in the preliminary rounds if the game is drawn after regulation time. There is a zero-tolerance attitude toward issues of indiscipline as the tournament continues to progress smoothly. (Edison Jefford)