GFF/Stag Super 16 Semis on today at Buxton Ground Western Tigers, Buxton, Den Amstel, Fruta Conquerors to collide

Dec 28, 2018 Sports

By Franklin Wilson

Ronaldo Fredericks (right), Shemar Fraser and Jamar Harrigon – Buxton United FC.

Sixteen teams have now been whittled down to four and by the end of tonight the finalists of the 2018/2019 Guyana Football Federation/Stag Super 16 championship would be known. It’s semi finals day at the Buxton Ground on the East Coast of Demerara.
Earning the right to play are Boxing Night victors Den Amstel coming up against Fruta Conquerors in tonight’s main event; the curtain raiser pits the Christmas Night winners, Buxton United against Western Tigers.
There were routine wins for Den Amstel and Fruta Conquerors against Victoria Kings and Milrerock, respectively. Den Amstel brushed aside Victoria Kings 2-0, Kester Jacobs netting both goals either side of play, in the 31st and 82nd minutes.
Conquerors, aiming to end the season on a high with the double after being crowned GFF Elite League Champions, made light work of Milerock with a thumping 4-1 result, Eon Alleyne and Nicholas Mc Arthur scoring a brace each.
Alleyne hit the back of the nets in just the 2nd minute from the penalty spot and then again in the 11th minute. Mc Arthur got his goals in the 33rd and 90th minutes. Milerock’s consolation goal came off the boot of Delon McAllister in the 66th minute.

Nicholas McArthur – Fruta Conquerors FC

But the place to be was the Golden Grove Ground on Christmas night when one-time Kashif and Shanghai Champions Buxton United felled the defending champions, Guyana Defence Force 3-2 and Western Tigers hung on for a 1-0 win over Ann’s Grove United.
The name of 16 year-old Annandale Secondary School Captain and Buxton United Midfielder Jamar Harrigon will linger in the memories of the Guyana Defence Force players, management team and fans for at least the next year.
Perhaps the GDF will be seeking to recruit Harrigon since he was the player that dealt them heartache on Christmas Night at the Golden Grove Ground when he artistically scored the winning goal, eight (8) minutes after coming on to send his team past the Army in the final minute of added on time, 90+5.

Kelsey Benjamin – Western Tigers FC

It was just not a goal being scored but the manner in which it was accomplished that will be etched in the memoirs of all at the venue for some time to come. The score was tied at 2-2 with mere seconds to go in the match that was headed for extra time.
But young Harrigon had other ideas, he received a pass that was floated nicely and by divine intervention he decide to try a bicycle kick from the top of the box on the right side. His looping strike sailed over the head of the GDF goalie Delon Adams whilst dipping into the back of the nets even as Adams tried to parry it away.
The goal prompted an eruption of mass celebrations amongst the players and supporters but it was heartache on the opposite end. Western Tigers booked their date with Buxton through Kelsey Benjamin’s 45th minute strike even as Ann’s Grove enjoyed most of the possession.
The West Ruimveldt based Tigers can count their lucky stars for shining on them while the losing side would be asking, what more could they have done to win having been the dominant team.
Ann’s Grove were reduced to 10-men when Antonio Jackson got his second yellow on the stroke of full time, his first was 10 minutes earlier.

Buxton United players and a few fans swarmed Jamar Harrigon to celebrate his winning goal against the GDF on Christmas Night at the Golden Grove Ground.

Buxton United, a team with an average age of 21, looked a fit unit and played very well to match and on occasions, even outplay the Army in the first 45 minutes when they also ran away 2-0 leaders.
On 23 minutes, the deadlock was broken when Ronaldo Fredericks received a long pass from goalkeeper and Captain Jason Cromwell whose shot found Fredericks in the GDF box. Given the hardness of the Golden Grove surface and the low cut grass the ball was bouncing quite a bit.
It was that bounce that caught the GDF defence and goalkeeper with their judgment off but Fredericks calculated and timed his jump to perfection to head the ball over the advancing Adams into the back of the open nets to hand Buxton the advantage.
Twenty minutes later, as the exchanges ebbed and flowed back and forth, it was the East Demerara based side who were setting up the foundation for the demise of the defending champions.
Buxton forward, Paul Kingston whose quickness was causing all kinds of challenges for the Army’s back-four all game, conjured up another such move in the 43rd minute when he produced an enterprising run which took him into the box with a Soldier in hot pursuit.
Despite being off balance given the speed he was going at, Kingston still had the presence of mind and strength to keep in front of the defender who kicked him off his feet in a bid to gain possession of the ball; that ill-advised move drew the sound of the Referee’s whistle as he also pointed to the penalty spot in one motion; a sight benefitting teams and fans love to behold.
Shemar Fraser was given the task of taking the kick and the left footer made no mistake in slotting the ball past Adams who interestingly, went to the right side but stood flatfooted rather than attempting to dive to stop the ball; Buxton 2 GDF 0.

Western Tigers’ Curtez Kellman (#17) seeks to gets past Steve Francis of Ann’s Grove in their clash.

As was expected after the break, the former champions came out with all cannons firing on the windy night seeking to pull things back from what was a challenging hurdle to conqueror; they {GDF} were in similar battles before and mustered the resolve to reverse the situation in a positive manner but this one was going to be insurmountable, eventually.
The boys in green did not help their cause when Shawn Arthur drew a straight red card in the 58th minute, handing Buxton the advantage of hav

ing 11 players to their 10. But playing a man less seemed to energise the Soldiers who did not relent as they continued to pile on the pressure on Buxton which for some reason did not display the same energy they exhibited in the opening stanza of the battle.
Consistent pressure eventually resulted in Buxton cracking in the 60th minute when they scored against themselves, David Wilson being the guilty player, placing the ball past Cromwell to gift the GDF their opening goal.
Suddenly, 10 Soldiers were looking like an Army. Buxton created a few more chances to restore their two goal advantage but squandered them. Likewise, their opponent did the same. But with four minutes to full time, Delroy Fraser pulled one out of the bag to knot the score at 2-2.
The momentum was certainly with the GDF but Buxton kept hanging on as they timed the exterminating goal, a bicycle kick from Harrigon who came into the fray in the 87th minute for Tyrone Harper. It was a classical change by Coach Herbert McPherson, maybe the final gift left in Natty Dread Santa’s bag on the night.
Semi final action tonight kicks off at 18:00hrs and fans can anticipate another blockbuster double header.