Hikers and Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) shared honours as the curtains came down on the Banks DIH Night hockey tournament Friday evening at Thirst Park
Hikers dethroned GCC in the men’s ‘A’ division final with a pulsating 2-1 win as they maintained their unbeaten run in the tournament while the Bourda side turned the tables in the men’s ‘B’ division final beating Hikers 3-0.
The ‘A’ division final was a crowd pleaser with Hikers taking the lead in the sixth minute when an unmarked Robert France sent home a well placed shot which left GCC’s goalkeeper Michael Xavier flat-footed. The match saw good midfield control by both teams and blistering attacks that brought gasps and cheers from the crowd.
Hikers’ prolific midfielder Jerazeno Bell pushed his team further ahead when he dribbled wide to the right and picked his spot in the far corner of the GCC goal to give his team a comfortable 2-0 lead. With their backs against the ropes, GCC resorted to individual darts by its forwards and midfielders but composed defensive play by centre-half Timothy McIntosh and sweeper Robert Fernandes managed to keep them scoreless at the end of the half.
It was the Hikers with the early impetus in the second half as the first five minutes on resumption saw the action more on the GCC end of the field as the Hikers pressed their defence. GCC quelled the storm and slowly turned the momentum to create several raids upfield to threaten the Hikers’ goal.
Despite several penalty corner efforts, the Hikers goalkeeper Azad DeAbreu was up to the challenge each time and it would take until the 62nd minute before striker Philip Fernandes took a quick free hit into the Hikers circle and smashed his shot past the advancing DeAbreu to make the score 2-1.
GCC pressed hard but failed to score the equaliser giving Hikers a well-deserved victory. In the ‘B’ division final, the experienced GCC side proved too strong for the youthful Hikers blowing them away with ease.
Patrick Edghill led the scoring for GCC with a double, his first goal recorded in the 16th minute and the other in the 51st.
Shad Fernandes netted the other goal for GCC in the 17th minute.
Meanwhile, hockey action will switch to the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall for the GT&T sponsored six-a-side Indoor tournament with five matches scheduled for tomorrow’s opening night.
