Hikers Generals battled to two victories Saturday evening to surge back into contention on the third night of the Noble House Goals Galore Indoor Hockey tournament at the National Gymnasium on Mandela Avenue.
The Generals disposed of Old Fort 9-4 then hammered Bounty GCC 7-1 to stake a claim as joint leaders on the penultimate night of the tournament.
The GCC Pitbulls also secured two more victories in the junior division, one against joint pool leader Flora GCC Tigers to make them favourites to reach the final.
With Old Fort beginning on a +2 handicap against the Generals, the latter wasted no time in getting on the scoreboard through a powerful strike from Randy Hope in the seventh minute. However, Richard Heyligar rebounded for Old Fort shortly after. But the Generals wrested control of the match by unleashing a barrage of shots, six of which found the target before Old Fort could manage a second.
With the score 7-4 in favour of the Generals, the teams traded possessions in the final minute as John Abrams would manage one more for Old Fort while Kenny Kansinally added a double for the Hikers to leave a final score of 9-4.
The Generals in their second match of the evening inflicted a drubbing on Bounty GCC in a classic display of disciplined and clinical hockey.
Robert France led the attack with a double while teammates Hope, Kansinally, Reginald Harper, Devin Munroe and the division’s leading goal scorer Shane Samuels each added one.
GCC’s lone goal came via a penalty stroke from Dwayne Scott.
Pool leader in the junior division, the Flora GCC Tigers suffered their first defeat of the tournament in an upset by the young GCC Pitbulls.
With the Pitbulls beginning on a +6 handicap the Tigers could only muster three goals before the final whistle to leave the score at 6 – 3 in favour of the Pitbulls. Tigers Captain and division leading goal scorer amassed a double with one more from teammate Gabriella Xavier.
The Tigers returned later to defeat Old Fort 6 – 5.
The Hikers Revelation team was the surprise of the night however.
With many of their players making their debuts in the tournament, the Revelation, beginning with a handsome +8 handicap managed to hold off challenges from both Old Fort 9-8 and the Hikers Divas 8-7.
The Hikers Generals and GCC Brodras led the senior pool with seven points each followed by the Hikers Cadets within close range on six points. In the junior division, GCC Pitbulls and Flora GCC Tigers were jointly at the top with 12 points each while the Hikers Revelation sat in third position on 10 points going in to last evening’s final night of competition.
