Hikers maintained its unbeaten run in the GT&T national indoor championships first-division section, overcoming the national u-19 males by a 6-4 margin on Friday at the National Gymnasium, Mandela Avenue.
Jamarj Assanah gave Hikers the early lead in the seventh minute with a clinical penalty corner conversion down the middle of the goal.
The national setup would quickly level proceedings as Aroydy Branford netted one minute later, finishing effort into the left hand corner while falling, after skipping past his marker within the left side of the box.
Hikers would then retake the lead in the 10th minute as Assanah netted his double, lashing his effort into the left hand corner, after pouncing on a loose ball within the centre of the area following an attempted clearance by u-19 custodian.
The score would then increase to 3-1 three minutes later through a right sided Colonel Heywood lobbed strike into the left hand corner.
With the scores unchanged for the remaining seven minutes of the first half, the u-19 side would cut the deficit to one in the 30th minute though a reverse Keon McKenzie shot from the centre of the arc, down the middle of the goal.
However, Devin Munroe would then restore Hikers two-goal advantage as he scored in the 34th minute from a penalty corner finish into the left hand corner. It would then become 5-2 two minutes onward as Munroe grabbed his double with a powerful right sided shot into the top right hand corner.
With only six minutes remaining in the matchup and staring down a three goal deficit, the u-19 side would opt to remove their goalkeeper to increase their outfield number.
The numerical advantage would quickly pay dividend as Branford registered his double with a solo run and right sided finish to the centre of the net, after fighting off multiple challenges and rounding the onrushing Hikers shot-stopper within the centre of the arc.
Hikers two goal advantage would then be reduced to one at the beginning of the 40th minute as Branford claimed his hat trick with a placed left sided strike into the right hand corner of the goal.
With Hikers needing to survive a mere 40 seconds to clinch the match, the u-19 side upon throwing bodies forward in search of the game tying goal, would concede in the final two seconds as Assanah netted to an empty net, after the ball was stolen off the final defender.
The earlier first division showdown saw Old Fort blanking Saints 4-0. Chris Low netted a double for the winners in the 21st and 28th minutes while Andy Gouveia and Shaquille Thomas netted in the 37th and 39th minutes respectively.
In the ladies section, defending champs Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) Tigers mauled Old Fort by a 9-0 score line. Aaliyah Gordon led the way with a hat trick in the second, 14th and 25th minutes.
She was supported by Kerensa Fernandes who netted double in the 19th and 26th minutes and Ashley DeGroot who bagged a brace in the fourth and 24th minutes. Sealing the result was Ulrica Sutherland and Trisha Woodroffe with goals in the 10th and 13 minutes respectively.
Continuing in the same division, Hikers overcame a 3-0 deficit to hold the National u-19 ladies to a 3-3 stalemate. Maria Munroe, Latoya Fordyce and Latacia Chung sealed the point for Hikers with late goals in the 20th, 25th and 27th minutes correspondingly.
- Gordon led the offence for the junior national side with a double in the second and 18th minutes while Macaela Harding netted in the 11th minute. In the second division ranks, Old Fort defeated GCC 3-2.
In the veterans’ division, GCC and Old Fort battled to a 3-3 draw. John Abraham netted a double for Old Fort on either side of half time in the seventh and 17th minute while C. Low scored in the 21st minute.
Devin Hooper led the Bourda unit with a double in the 15th and 28th minute whilst Alan Fernandes netted in the 14th minute. The action is slated to continue today at the same venue with the respective finales.
