GFF Elite League Season 4Ten-man Fruta Conquerors edge Police; Santos beat Ann’s Grove for first win

Mar 31, 2019 Sports

Nicholas McArthur – Fruta Conquerors FC (2)

By Franklin Wilson

Defending champions Fruta Conquerors, despite competing with 10-men from the 39th minute when Rishaun Sandiford received a straight red card for serious foul play, rallied to defeat Police Football Club 4-2 on account of Nicholas Mc Arthur’s double when play in the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Elite League continued on Friday night at the Police Sports Club Ground, Eve Leary.
It was the debut for Police Sports Club Ground as the host of Elite League matches and many expressed delight at the venue being chosen by the GFF, noting the atmosphere was very good as well as surface.
However, the night was not that good for the home team which, in their first season at this level suffered their second loss in as many matches after going down to the GDF in their first match by a 2-0 margin. One consolation however, was the fact that they were able to get on the score sheets and that they did twice.
But by the time they had scored their first in the second half, goals by Nicholas McArthur in the 10th minute and Vurlon Mills in the 33rd had already given Conquerors a bit of a cushion and some room to maneuver.
The advantage of having their full complement of players as opposed to Conquerors having one less eventually paid encouraging dividends for the home team as they halved the deficit in the 53rd minute when Travis Jones found the back of the nets.
As the exchanges continued, the nippy Police players continued to take the attack to the champions and it brought the equalizing goal in the 83rd minute when Stefon Ramsey rocked the nets.

Santos (white) in control against Ann’s Grove on Friday night at the Police Sports Club Ground, Eve Leary.Eon Alleyne – Fruta Conquerors FC

It was a goal that emboldened the Police team and their supporters but little did they know that the defending champions had other ideas and were not in a mood to entertain a loss on the night.
Conquerors’ most prolific scorer Eon Alleyne came into the fray when the put his side back in the lead with two minutes to game time and on the stroke of full time, young McArthur put the icing on the cake by putting the game beyond Police when he scored his second of the match and Conquerors’ fourth to seal full points and their second win; their first was against Santos.
The evening’s first match saw Santos reversing their defeat to Conquerors on Wednesday last with a 2-0 triumph over Ann’s Grove FC of the East Coast, their second loss of the league, having already lost to Den Amstel, 0-5.
Santos, like Police, in their debut season was eager to get off the mark in terms of winning as they scored the fastest goal of the league so far when Orin Yarde surprised Ann’s Grove’s custodian Justin Herod in the opening minute of the match.
The previous fastest goal was scored by Buxton United’s Shermar Fraser in the 3rd minute against Victoria Kings. Just before the half way mark, David George doubled the advantage with his goal in the 44th minute.
The second half saw a consorted effort from the Ann’s Grove team which totally dominated proceedings but failed miserably to convert the chances that came their way. When the final whistle was sounded, Santos was a happy bunch coming away with full points.
Last evening, one match was set for the Mackenzie Sports Club ground when home team Milerock welcomed GDF. Today at the Den Amstel ground, West Coast Demerara, a double header is carded from 14:00hrs when Victoria Kings come up against Western Tigers.
The main attraction will see home team Den Amstel matching skills with Buxton United.