Sunburst Camptown and Alpha United began their run in the Georgetown Football Association’s (GFA) 2009 season with emphatic victories when the third annual Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GT&T) Cellink Plus Premier League was launched at the Tucville playfield on Monday.
Defending champions Alpha ‘The Hammer’ United and runners-up Sunburst Camptown inflicted a 6–0 and 3–0 beating on the two relegated Premier League teams BK International Western Tigers and Flamingo FC respectively.
In the feature match-up of the evening Alpha came out in their conventional attack mode and led by two goals before ten minutes of play, compliments of Quincy Madramotoo’s fourth minute strike and Leon Grumble’s eight-minute success.
Alpha’s formation was stoutly maintained throughout the 90 minutes of play while the Tigers were disorganized and had numerous openings that their opponents exploited.
Doubles from Alpha’s Shawn Bishop (76’, 85’) and Wendell St. Hill (78’, 90’) in the final 45 minutes of play sealed the deal against Western whose defence was constantly penetrated leaving their custodian Kerry Graham to face the full blunt of the Alpha forwards.
In the Camptown/Flamingo clash neither team was able to score in the first half even though they were trading shot for shot. Camptown soon had a two-goal lead when the final half resumed with Bevon Mosley in the 50th minute and Telson McKinnon in the 58th minute.
The match became easier in the final 45 minutes for Camptown because the opposition lacked total fitness and the ability to remain composed in their play and formation, and winding down to regulation time the energetic Kwame LaFleur scored an 89th minute goal for Camptown who received their first three points for victory.
Preceding the double header was the march past of the eight Premier League teams that assembled for the feature address given by Minister of Public Works Robeson Benn along with representatives of partners of the GFA as well as GFA members.
Benn striking a positive note said, “It is encouraging that we know there has been a strong effort in developing football over the years and it is encouraging that the type of activity will move into schools and other fields in society.”
“It is an important move to develop the basic level throughout the city of Georgetown and reopen our playfields to give encouragement to the schools and clubs to let them get the opportunity to play along with the well rounded academic ability that would work well for the development of football”, he added.
He also charged the senior officials of clubs to play a role in developing the youths on and off the field to create a positive effect that would make a difference in their lives.
Benn urged the players to be better in every aspect of the game and to make a giant step for themselves and moreso for football in Guyana, thereby elevating the status of the game.
President of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Colin Klass in his brief remarks commended the terrific work that the GFA has done over the past year and urged the partners of the GFA who have made the success of the tournaments possible to pledge their continued support to further help in the elevation of football and youths in Guyana.
Furthermore, he called on the players to be positive in their daily existence, to be progressive and always to strive for excellence. “There are challenges we have to try and overcome in life and that’s what makes life interesting. So I urge you to never be content with what you have or your current position once you’re not on top, but even if you are on top strive to stay there and whatever you do make sure you do so with a positive effect.”
GFA’s President Troy Mendonca noted that the focus of the association in the previous year was to rejuvenate the sport and that has been achieved owing to the support the sport has seen in the tournaments.
“Our focus in 2009 will be to conduct programmes that allow the development of a product that will eventually see our realization as a pro league and create scholarship opportunities for our young players,” said Mendonca.
In closing, he advised those involved in the football fraternity to continue to do the best they can to take football to the highest levels. He also expressed his gratitude on behalf of the association to those whose support has taken football this far.
