The Guyana Defence Force FC demolished an inept Black Pearl Football Club 8-1 while Netrockers FC arrested the Guyana Police Force FC 3-1 in the latest matches of the Georgetown Football Association/Banks Beer Knockout Cup Tuesday night.
The matches were once again relocated to the Fruta Conquerors ground in Tucville due to the inclement weather and the large and animated crowd was treated to two intriguing encounters.
In the curtain raiser, the GDFFC showed vintage form by clearly living up to their billing as tournament alpha males with a clinical dismantling of Black Pearl FC. With soggy conditions underfoot, the first half started at a frenetic pace with both teams trying to assert their will and dictate the tempo of the game.
In most fortuitous of manner, GDF took the early lead through a Devon Goodman own goal in the fourth minute which set in motion the remaining goals that would follow.
Buoyed by their good fortune, the army men started to dictate the run of play through their composed passing and rampaging wide play.
Clearly under siege from the constant pressure applied by the discipline efforts of the army outfit, a further three goals were added to round out the first half compliments of a Marlon Benjamin double in the 12th and 34th minutes and a Ryan Morrison 38th minute strike to further illustrate the gulf in football acumen between the teams. Black Pearl FC pulled one back through a Devon Goodman penalty kick in the 44th minute.
The second half continued in the same vein with the fluent GDF unit looking to build on their already sizeable lead and Black Pearl FC trying to find some form of attacking input.
Clearly lacking ingenuity and constantly dispossessed by the robust backline of the army unit, the downward spiral continued for the Black Pearl outfit as a further four goals were conceded compliments of Delwin Fraser 65th, Ryan Morrison second 76th , Sherwin Caesar 80th and Eusi Phillips 89th to end a miserable night for a despondent Black Pearl team.
In the feature contest, Netrockers FC showed the resolve and grit to overcome the tough Guyana Police Force Football Club (GPFFC). Eager to dictate the tempo of proceedings, both teams started at a frenetic pace trying to seize the early initiative. Clearly getting the better of the early exchanges, the GPFFC broke the deadlock in the 10th minute compliments of a well-taken Rawle Haynes free kick.
Inspired by their early dominance and palpably on the ascendency, the lawmen started to find their range and rhythm with Netrockers clearly on the back foot and desperately defending not to concede further goals.
The open nature of the game continued as both teams attacked feverishly. Missed opportunities and physical play were the by products of an inundated playing surface rendering passing an arduous duty. Net Rockers almost equalized on the stroke of half time only to be denied expertly by the assured GPF custodian.
The second half continued in the same vein with both teams trying to consolidate their positions. The lawmen’s recent success was short-lived and the game became a story of two halves with the Netrocker’s outfit starting to assert themselves as they hunted for the all important equaliser.
Clearly under siege and creatively at sea, the lawmen were simply carved open and ran ragged by the Netrockers outfit who finally equalised in the 66th minute through a Jermin Adams strike which sent the large crowd into wild celebrations.
Urged on by the partisan mass and sensing blood in the water, the boys from Linden took the lead compliments of an Orande Wills strike in the 70th minute.
Shell-shocked by their predicament, rampaging runs and deep lobbed passes highlighted the urgency of the lawmen, who attacked desperately trying to find the all important equaliser, only to be denied by the resolute Netrockers defence.
The outcome was finally put to bed in the 86th minute compliments of a Jermin Adams strike, his second of the match.
Action continues with a quarterfinals double header on Friday 28th at the GCC ground Bourda with Northern Rangers FC taking on Santos FC in the opening game at 6pm followed by Guyana Defense Force FC tackling Net Rockers FC in the feature event at 8 pm.
