Stag Elite League… Richardson guides Pele’s move to the top; GDF & Fruta Conquerors draw in see-saw affair

Oct 01, 2015 Sports

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By Franklin Wilson

Gregory ‘Jackie Chan’ Richardson continued his excellent form in the inaugural Stag Elite League (SEL) when he engineered Pele’s rise to the top of the points table with another victory, a 3-1 triumph against Buxton United on Tuesday evening at the Tucville ground.
Despite being reduced to ten when substitute Omallo Williams received his second yellow card in the 79th minute (first red for the tournament), Pele held strong to see Buxton off.
The night’s feature game produced a 2-2 draw between home team Fruta Conquerors and the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), a match that began at frenetic pace with players getting physical as if they had an old score to settle.
It was no surprise when Referee Gladwin Johnson dug deep in his back pocket to issue the first of two red cards to the GDF’s Delwin Fraser in the 9th minute. The loss of Fraser put GDF on the back foot but the Army boys keep attacking while Conquerors did not seem as if they were enjoying an extra player.
The home team were guilty of spending too much time in their defensive third but whenever they pushed forward they created opportunities like they did in the 24th minute when Eon Alleyne in one of his many runs down the flank threw the ball over to find Kwame LaFleur just on top of the six yard box.
LaFleur headed home clinically past custodian Oswlad Cornette, a former Conquerors player, at first post. The game swung the way of both teams from time to time as referee Johnson had his work cut out in terms of maintain control of proceedings.
GDF never relented and kept pressing forward as Conquerors opted to be way too defensive. The Army was rewarded for their ambitious offensive runs when Cedric Osborne rocked the back of the nets in the 36th minute from the penalty spot following a handled ball in the area.
The half time came with the scores uncharged, both teams eager for the break to recuperate and refocus. The closeness of the match continued in the second half. Conquerors did not help their cause when Raphael Edwards was evicted from the game in the 62nd minute as a result of a straight red card which brought proceedings back on even terms regarding the players each team had.
The GDF welcomed the game being back on even terms, players wise with the go ahead goal one minute later, compliments of the busy and ever present Eusi Phillips. Conquerors did not allow GDF to sit pretty with their lead for too long and it was another hard worker, Eon Alleyne who again took on the GDF’s defence on the flank to deliver another pin point pass for his Captain Trevon Lythcott to score on the volley in the 64th minute to even the score.
Since no more goals were scored, both teams shared the spoils; Conquerors relegated to second place on goal difference behind Pele, while the Army moved one place up to fifth.
Pele landed their second win of the league as they kept their unbeaten record intact. Again, Richardson was the player who set them on their way with an early goal against Buxton four minutes into the match.
Buxton’s defence was caught napping and Richardson took the opportunity to hammer home his fourth goal of the league. Having scored three of Pele’s previous four goals in their first two matches, Richardson was relieved that his colleagues stepped up to be recognised on Tuesday night.
However, at the other end of the field, Buxton was creating some good moments of their own with their main force up front Clive Andries in the limelight. It was Andries who would put his team back in the match with a well executed finish in the 23rd minute.
But as half time approached, Pele found an able finisher in Port Kaituma import, Julian Joseph who was having a good run in midfield. Pushing forward and with some space to execute, Joseph’s shot to goal in the 42nd minute just inside the area, sailed over the hands of Jason Cromwell in goal for Buxton United to restore Pele’s one goal cushion.
Richardson could have easily ended the game with at least a hat-trick of goals but was denied by Cromwell in a 1v1 setting while in another situation, the ball was stolen by a defender as Richardson waited a tad bit too late to pull off his shot with just Cromwell to beat.
Williams was introduced in the 52nd minute for Darren Harris to add some fresh legs with Richardson up front and was creating challenges for Buxton, but he was guilty of kicking the ball away twice and Referee Sherwin would have none of that, issuing yellow cards on each occasion to Williams which ended his stay in the game in the 79th minute.
Buxton was not able to capitalise on that advantage as Pele further increased their advantage in the 55th minute through a Ronel Gordon finish, Pele 3 Buxton 1. That was the final score; the win gave Pele the top spot in the points standings with a better goal difference.
The SEL will continue tomorrow when the Guyana Defence Force ground welcomes its first double header. Pele will open against Slingerz at 18:00hrs with the GDF and GFC squaring off in the feature game.
Latest Points Standings
Club P W L D GF GA GD Points
Pele 3 3 0 1 7 4 +3 7
Fruta Conquerors 3 2 0 1 5 3 +2 7
Slingerz 3 1 0 2 3 0 +3 5
Alpha United 3 1 0 2 4 2 +2 5
GDF 3 1 1 1 5 5 0 4
Monedderlust 3 1 2 0 4 3 -3 3
GFC 3 0 2 1 1 4 -3 1
Buxton 3 0 3 0 1 5 -4 0

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