GTT Round Robin / Knockout Football Competition ...Linden dominates East Coast, win both engagements

GTT Round Robin / Knockout Football Competition …Linden dominates East Coast, win both engagements

Nov 19, 2015 Sports

Led by a brace from the prolific Marmarlaque Davidson Winners Connection recovered from being one-goal down at the break to repel a stubborn Golden Grove unit by a 4-3 margin as play in the GTT Round Robin / Knockout Football Competition continued on Tuesday night, at the MSC ground in Linden.

From left- Winners Connection goalscorers Marmarlaque Davidson, Runic Vokoll and Keon Sears pose for a photo after the game.

Davidson, who has improved immensely since his exploits in the Digicel Schools Tournament where he also performed outstandingly, scored in the 51st and 61st minutes of play and received admirable support from the in-form Keon Sears, who netted in the 53rd, almost immediately after being introduced, and Runic Vokoll in the 66th.
Mickel Evans, Stephens McPherson and Keon Williams were the players on target for Golden Grove and their responses came in the 32nd, 70th and 92nd minutes respectively.
The victory has now put the Lindeners at the top of the points table and virtually assures them of a place in the knockout phase.
Golden Grove by virtue of the loss still occupies third place on one point, but is slightly ahead of Rosignol United, who also have a single point, except an inferior gaol difference.
In the opening game, hosts Milerock responded to the urgency of needing a win to keep their hopes alive by beating Ann’s Grove 2-0 in a lacklustre affair.
However, the win provided Milerock with three vital points and means that they’ve now moved from the position of cellar dwellers to third, relegating Ann’s Grove to their previous status.

Part of the action in the clash between Linden’s Milerock and Ann’s Grove on Tuesday night at the MSC ground.

In the feature encounter, Golden Grove shocked the home fans when they took the lead after thirty-two minutes when Evans pierced the defence from close range following a goal mouth melee.
That ascendancy lasted until the half time whistle sounded with the visitors finishing strong towards the break.
Six minutes after the resumption, Davidson placed his effort into the lower right hand corner, after being sent through with a clinical pass.
With the contest level, Winners Connection began to assert themselves and the introduction of Sears proved to be the right one as he rifled into the far corner from about 30 yards out on the right side to beat the scrambling goalkeeper.
Davidson then made it 3-1 after delivering a bullet-like header from a cross from the left flank that beat the despairing dive from the keeper.
Winners Connection were not finished as Vokoll reached on to a pass from the right side to fire home.
With a 4-1 advantage, many felt that the game was over, but Golden Grove had other ideas and they responded immediately through McPherson, who dribbled past one defender to steer past the advancing goalkeeper.
Despite being reduced to 10 men following the expulsion of Roger Sandy for a reckless tackle which resulted in his second yellow card, the visitors never caved in and got another goal courtesy of a free kick by Williams which saw the goalkeeper make the jumping save, but watched in dismay as the ball bounced out of his grasp and trickled over the goal-line.
Earlier, Clarence Huggins pair in the 45th and 74th minutes earned three crucial points for Milerock.
Huggins busted the stalemate directly on the half courtesy of a fierce right-footer after being left unmarked inside the box. He then wrapped up the win with a stinging header into the left corner from a cross delivered within the centre of the penalty box.
Action in the competition was set to resume last evening with a double header at No. 5 ground, West Coast Berbice.
The winning team will receive $500,000 and the championship trophy, while the second, third and fourth placed finishers collect $250,000, $125,000 and $75,000 respectively.