By Duncan Saul
The second annual Georgetown Football Association (GFA) Banks Beer knockout football tournament got underway Sunday night at the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) ground, Bourda under floodlights, with two lopsided encounters.
In the opening game Camptown Football Club demolished a hapless Houston Stars outfit 5-0 while in the second game of the double header favourites Fruta Conquerors, clearly lived up to their billing by crushing a despondent Flamingo team 11-0.
In the curtain raiser Camptown showed their superior prowess and clearly imposed themselves on an inept Houston Stars team. It was a cagey affair in the beginning with both teams jostling for dominance in the engine room. The wet nature of the playing area certainly didn’t facilitate crisp passing and at times, the nature of the game was comical due to the aforementioned surface area.
Camptown drew first blood in the most fortuitous of circumstances compliments of a Reshawn Sandiford strike in the ninth minute.
A combination of surface area and goalkeeping error was at fault for the opening goal. But thereafter, Camptown started to assert itself and a marauding solo run from their inspirational captain Sandiford, deep within their own half led to a brilliant finish from the always dangerous Devon Forde in the 16th minute which sent sections of the large crowd into frenzied adulation.
The score remained at 2-0 going into the half time interval.
The second half started brightly for the boys from Houston who tried desperately to find a “foothold” in the game. They attacked fearlessly and even came close to scoring but were denied by a magnificent save from the always reliable Oswald Cornette between the up rights.
Throwing caution to the wind, they attacked fearlessly and played right into the hands of the boys from Campbellville who started to find their passing rhythm and range. Under siege from the beginning, the Houston-based team was simply outplayed and for long periods lacked the creative input needed to compete which resulted in another Forde strike in the 60th minute and a double from Anthony Sancho in the 70th and 88th minutes.
In the feature game, Fruta Conquerors sent a clear message to the rest of the field that they mean business by simply destroying a clueless Flamingo team. The game started at a frenetic pace and passing was cumbersome as both teams wrestled for dominance in the early exchanges of the game.
Conquerors almost broke the deadlock with a brilliant build up only to be denied by a brilliant save from the Flamingo custodian Gerald Williams, the former Western Tigers and national `keeper. The attacking pressure continued and the stalemate was finally broken through miscommunication between `keeper and defender which allowed the talented Jahal “Chico” Greaves to pounce and score in the 31st minute. Brief moments of attacking intent from the Flamingo players were negated by the resolute backline of the Conquerors marshaled by the commanding Joshua “Brownie” Brown and the versatile Trevon “German” Lythcott.
Aggressive wing play and marauding fullback runs carved open the hapless Flamingo team who defended desperately in an effort to stay in contention. Trademark passing from the engine room and brilliant link up play between the forwards led to Jermaine “Panky” Junior adding his name to the scorer’s sheet in the 41st minute just before half time.
It was business as usual when the second half resumed as Conquerors looked to heap further turmoil on their helpless foes who looked devoid of ideas. Lacking the creative compass to be competitive, they were simply outmatched, outgunned and outclassed. The proverbial flood gates were finally broken open when the precocious Vurlon Mills scored from a well-taken strike in the 56th minute.
The ensuing carnage led to a further nine goals being scored compliments of Mills 67th and 86th minute strikes and Greaves’ 82th and 89th minute strikes. Other goal scorers were Joshua Brown 48th minute, Steve Nelson 70th minute, Dwayne Lawrence 74th minute and Eon Alleyne 90th minute respectively.
Action continues with a double header tomorrow at the GCC ground Bourda with Blueberry Hill FC taking on Caribbean United in the opening game at 6pm followed by GFC tackling Kwakwani Strikers in the feature event at 8 pm.
