4th Annual GFA/Banks Cup Round Robin Knockout tournament... GDF match skills with Pele; Western Tigers & Alpha clash in potential scorchers

4th Annual GFA/Banks Cup Round Robin Knockout tournament… GDF match skills with Pele; Western Tigers & Alpha clash in potential scorchers

Dec 28, 2014 Sports

Coach of the GDF unit, Brazilian, Caetano (extreme right) with two of his point men (Delwyn Fraser at left) celebrate.

By Michael Benjamin

It’s the Christmas season and while many Guyanese stayed at home and feasted on the traditional foods of the season, the sports oriented clan trooped to the GFC Ground and was fed a healthy diet of classic football when the action in the 4th Annual GFA/Banks Cup Round Robin Knockout tournament continued over the past weekend.
Alpha United domination of the tournament has propelled that team to the top of Group ‘A’ after crushing victories over Blackwater (17-0), Northern Rangers (16-0) and the Guyana Police Force (2-0). On Christmas Day, ‘The Hammers continued their dream run with a convincing 3-0 drubbing over the GFC after contributions by Dwight Peters (49), Dwayne Jacobs (83) and Sheldon Holder (76).
Pele also stayed afloat in an action packed, entertaining affair where that team edged out Rhythm Squad 3-2; Omallo Williams netted a brace in the 36th and 61st minutes, while Deon Alfred completed the victory for Pele in the 81st minute. Rhythm Squad’s response came off the boots of Sheldon Hope (69) and Julian Forris (79).
The action continued on Sunday evening and a fair sized crowd witnessed another grueling double header. That followed after Western Tigers blasted the GPF into oblivion with a 7-0 drubbing moments before the GDF took care of Camptown 2-0. Western Tigers’ victory was spearheaded by a hat-trick from Joshua Britton (29: 38: 50) and successes by Phillip Rowley (25), Randolph Wagner (64), Andre Webber (70) and Marvin Joseph (76).
The soldiers’ goals were sent in by Selwyn Isaacs (26) and Delroy Fraser (84) after a keen tussle for honours with Camptown.
The semi-finals action gets underway at the same venue this evening and GDF will match skills with Pele moments before Western Tigers and Alpha clash in the feature attraction.
Meanwhile, in Friday night’s action, GDF and Camptown engaged in an exciting duel with the former team employing its trademark roughhouse tactics in the early exchanges while the latter team demonstrated a show of skills. GDF striker, Delroy Fraser, is always a clear and present danger and his first attempt at the opposition’s goal came from the right flank but the angle was way too sharp and slid along the left side of the goal.
Another soldier, William Europe, then made his presence felt with a spirited advance to the opposition’s goal, hesitated for a fraction of a second and was deluged by the opposition’s defence crew. The pattern continued well into the first session where the soldiers enjoyed the greater percentage of ball possession while the Camptown defence was vigilant and staunchly kept the rampaging soldiers at bay.
As the fierce rivalry continued, the referee had to flick out the damning yellow card to Camptown’s, Travis Martin after he improperly tackled Eusi Phillips. The ensuing free kick curled around the improvised wall and landed safely into the hands of the Camptown’s custodian, Stephen Roberts.
Undeterred, the soldiers pressed on and when Delroy Fraser performed a solo, it looked like sure goal but Camptown’s defence crew stopped him in his tracks. The endorsement that perseverance brings result was aptly underlined when Selwyn Isaacs classically dribbled down the centre and drilled the Camptown custodian to send his team one goal up.
The soldiers smelled blood and shortly after the Isaacs’ success, Fraser attacked but though his firm right foot strike was delivered powerfully, he just failed to get it passed a vigilant Camptown custodian.
It was around that time that Camptown dug in and began to put together constructive passes that saw them infiltrating the Army’s territory. The latter team held firm and tightened its defence cordon while retaining its slim advantage. As the seconds whittled away to the culmination of the first session, Troy ‘Bugsie’ Prescod took charge of a free kick but his left foot shot had too much zip and sailed over the uprights. Thereafter, a keen tussle for ball possession in front of the Camptown goal culminated with a fierce kick that sped past the latter team’s goal and slammed into the concrete fence simultaneously with the whistle.
The Camptown crew entered the second session a rejuvenated bunch but found the aggression of the opposition very challenging. Delwyn Fraser made the first move after being gifted a dolly of a pass. With just the goalie to contend with, the Army front man attempted to scoop the ball over the advancing ‘keeper’s’ head but inadvertently struck it over the uprights.
He made amends for that indiscretion when he collected a pass from the right flank and in one fluent movement, swiveled on the ball of his left foot and sent in a powerful shot that settled in the network while the Camptown custodian stood transfixed. Suddenly, the soldiers changed their tactics and ‘hid’ the ball from their adversaries. Camptown’s last ditch efforts were rendered inconsequential as the shrill sound of the whistle sealed their fate. The battle for honours is winding down to an exciting conclusion and the place to be is the GFC ground this evening.