Defending champs Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) went down to arch-rivals Hikers by a 6-2 margin when the GT&T National Indoor Championships commenced on Monday at the National Gymnasium on Mandela Avenue.
Robert France opened the scoring for Hikers in the second minute with a first time strike into the left corner after receiving a right sided pass.
The Bourda side would then level the scores two minutes later as Mark Sargeant netted, lashing his effort down the middle of the goal, after collecting a right sided Steven Xavier pass within the centre of the arc.
Andrew Stewart would then push Hikers back in front in the 13th minute as his strike from the centre of the arc, took a deflection of a GCC defender’s stick and settled into the right hand corner.
Kevin Spencer would then restore parity to proceedings for GCC, netting two minutes later with a left sided strike into the lower left hand corner following a penalty corner.
The score line would then alter once more as Hikers retook the advantage through a 19th minute Aroydy Branford strike into the top right hand corner of the goal, after receiving pass within centre of arc from a penalty corner attempt.
Hikers would then build on their lead in the second period as France netted in the 22nd minute with an easy finish down the centre of the goal.
It would then become 5-2 in the 32nd minute as France sealed his hat trick with a guided first time right sided finish to the lower left hand corner, after receiving a long pass just inside the shooting area.
The win would then be sealed five minutes later as Branford netted his double, striking his effort from a penalty corner attempt down the middle of the goal. On the distaff side, defending champs GCC Spice overcame Hikers 4-2.
Surrendering the early lead to Hikers following a Maria Munroe seventh minute strike into the left corner, GCC would level the score five minutes later as Sonia Jardine netted compliments of a left sided attempt into the right corner.
Vanessa Pires would then give GCC the lead for the first time in the encounter, slotting the ball home into the empty net after the ball fell into her path in the 20th minute.
The score would then balloon to 3-1 two minutes later as Jardine completed her brace with an attempt down the middle of the goal, after her shot went through the legs of the Hikers defenders.
Hikers would eventually cut the deficit to one in the 27th minute as Munroe completed her brace with a strike to the right side of the net, after pouncing on a loose ball within the centre of the area.
However, Pires would put the game to bed for GCC in the 29th minute, netting her second of the fixture with a simple finish down the centre of the goal, following a right sided pass.
In other results, Old Fort defeated Saints 3-1 in their second division fixture. Omar Hopkinson led the winners with a double in the 13th and 25th minutes while Tony Cole netted in the 17th minute. On target in the loss was Shemar Boston in the 29th minute.
The second matchup of the division saw GCC defeating Hikers 4-2. Michael Craig netted a double in the 17th and 19th minutes for the Bourda unit while Eric Hing and Eon Burke scored in the sixth and 14th minutes respectively.
In the veterans section, Hikers compliments of a James Mentore hat trick in the fifth, 15th and 17th minutes, edged Old Fort by a 7-5 score line.
Devon Munroe contributed with a double on either half side of half time in the fourth and 29th minutes while Brian Asregado and Robert Fernandes registered solo strikes in the 12th and 14th minutes correspondingly.
The second ladies fixture of the night witnessed the Guyana National u-19 squad defeating Old Fort 5-1. The action is slated to continue at the same venue today from 17:00hrs.
