Busta Soft Shoe Football Competition…Favourites Sparta Boss, West Front Road set up dream final

May 03, 2015 Sports

---

-Weavers, Queen Street to play for third place

By Rawle Welch
As predicted pre-tournament favourites Sparta Boss and West Front Road will

clash in the final of the inaugural Busta Soft Shoe Football Competition after defeating their respective opponents Kitty Weavers and Queen Street of Tiger Bay in semi-final action which concluded on Friday night, at the GFC ground.
Despite the eventual lop-sided margin of victory, Sparta Boss with a cadre of top quality players in their line-up, were made to fight to eliminate a stubborn Kitty Weavers unit that showed no fear for their opposite number in an enthralling slugfest that at one stage looked to be heading for extra time and possible penalty shootout.
However, former national striker Gregory ‘Jackie Chan’ Richardson and national mid-fielder Travis ‘Zorro’ Grant erased those considerations after netting in the latter stages of the game to see their team to a 4-2 win and guarantee a place in the final.
In the first semi-final, West Front Road and national striker Colin Nelson showed his superior class to separate them from Queen Street in another pulsating clash that ended 1-0.
The Sparta Boss versus Kitty Weavers lived up to all expectations as fans knew judging from the North Georgetown-based unit’s earlier performances they would have provided a stern

test for the heavily favoured Sparta Boss side.
Former national striker Devon Millington opened the scoring for Sparta Boss when he fired into the goal after four minutes.
Sheldon Shepherd, who was returning from a one-game uspension after being red-carded in their clash against Globe Yard, made it 2-0 when he raced on to a squared pass from the left-sdie to blast into the back of the nets three minutes later.
However, Weavers comprising a few players with national experience would not go away and Colin Clarke’s thunderous strike delivered from inside their half and which eluded all and sundry, before settling into the far corner signaled their intentions right away.
It meant that they were not going to bow down and wave a white flag and Sparta Boss fans were given a timely reminder that it would not be a canter for their team as the skilful Sherwin Vincent provided irrefutable proof of his ability when he cleverly faked one defender into the wrong direction, before swivelling and rifling past a stunned goalkeeper to level the proceedings after twenty-one minutes.
It was enough evidence to suggest that a digfight was on and fans braced themselves for the ensuing battle.
The youthful Sparta Boss side, however, was able to withstand the pace as the Weavers main playmakers Terrence ‘Olehead’ Lewis, Quincy Madramootoo and Wendell St. Hill seemed to run out of gas and allowed two more breaches in their defence which resulted in goals.
Grant first rifled in from just outside the penalty area in the 35th minute, before Richardson, who was being kept at bay all night suddently sprung to life to squeez a shot past the keeper from a pinpoint pass on the stroke of full time to set up a mouth watering meeting with nemesis West Front Road on Tuesday.
Earlier, Queen Street were a bit unlucky not to register at least three goals within the opening five minutes, before Nelson’s pace, power and individual skill prove decisive for the victors.
Queen Street Deon Alfred ran on to a long ball from the back which landed a bit ackwardly for him, but he sxtill had the poise to deliver a volley which was pushed over the bar for a corner.
They had at least two more chances to take the lead, but superb goalkeeping kept them at bay despite them dominating the first period.
The second half belonged to West Front Road as Hubert Pedro, Nelson, Randolph Wagner and Michael Oie found their rhythm, creating chance after chance and it took impressive defending and similar goalkeeping to keep them off the scoresheet.
However, Nelson’s solo effort proved o much for the Queen Street backline and the rest is history. His goal came five minutes after the resumption.
Queen Street will now play Kitty Weavers for third place and another large turnout is anticipated.
The winning team will take home the championship trophy and $600,000, while the second, third and fourth placed finishers cart off $300,000, $200,000 and $100,000 respectively along with trophies.
The Most Valuable player collects $50,000, Most Disciplined team $25,000 and the respective group winners $25,000.
Apart from the Guyana Beverages Inc who is the Platinum sponsor, some of the other entities on board are: Lucky Dollar, GT&T, Star Party Rentals, Nigel’s Supermarket, 2Js General Store, Junior’s Jewellery & Pawn Shop and Mendonca Creole.
Game-1
Queen Street Tigerbay-0 vs West Front Road-1
Colin Nelson-25th
Game-2
Sparta Boss-4 vs Kitty Weavers-2
Sparta Scorers
Devon Millington-4th
Sheldon Shepherd-7th
Travis Grant-35th
Gregory Richardson-40th
Kitty Scorers
Colin Clarke-9th
Sherwin Vincent-21st

---

---