Alpha ‘the Hammer’ United compliments of goalkeeper Ronson Williams last gasp goal, overcame Riddim Squad in an epic nine goal thriller 5-4 to clinch the Georgetown Football Association (GFA) Stag Beer Futsal Championship on Saturday.
With only 1:18 left on the clock and the scores locked at 4-4 in front of a hostile Cliff Anderson Sports Hall sold out viewership, Williams would fire the fatal shot to earn his side their first ever title in this format.
Positioned on the right side in hope of a short pass from a free kick in the centre of the field, Williams would unleash a powerfully struck flat right footed attempt down the centre of the goal, sending his camp into wild celebrations while silencing the partisan crowd.
With the win, Alpha United earned the championship trophy and the $400,000 first prize while Riddim Squad will claim the runners-up accolade and $200,000.
With the crowd cheering their every move, the opening 20 minute period started brightly for the Mocha based unit and they should have taken the lead in the ninth minute as Amos Ramsay spurned a golden opportunity.
Racing down the left side of the field following a three on one situation, Ramsay upon receiving a lobbed right sided pass from his cousin Steffon Ramsay, lashed the effort inexplicably over the crossbar with only the keeper in his way, much to the disbelief of the Mocha fandom.
His miss would quickly prove costly to Riddim Squad as Travis Grant found the opener for the ‘Hammers’ one minute later, dribbling his marker on the left side of the area before thumping a left footed drive into the roof of the net to spark, festivities in small sections of the crowd.
It would seem like the football gods were against Riddim Squad as another golden chance in the 11th minute was wasted by A. Ramsay, who after evading his marker on the left side of the field, blasted another effort high over the crossbar, earning once again the verbal wrath of the crowd.
However in the space of two minutes the matchup would turn on its head as Alpha accumulated their sixth of an allotted five fouls per half to send Riddim Squad to the penalty mark.
Tasked with taking the spot-kick, custodian Dorville Stewart would send the building into raptures as he powered his right footed shot into the left side of the goal. The festivities would continue one minute later as Alpha conceded their second penalty following another foul.
With the crowd standing in expectation, Stewart would not disappoint as he buried his effort into the left side of the net to spark wild scenes within the seating area and playing surface.
Stunned by their recent concessions, Alpha would display the fortitude befitting of champions as they levelled the score in the 19th minute with Daniel Wilson stabbing his effort home following a goal-mouth scramble within the centre of the goal-line.
The Hammers would then be presented with a great opportunity to retake the lead in the final minute of the period as Riddim Squad picked up their sixth of an allotted five fouls.
With the crowd on its feet amid chants of ‘save’ and ‘miss’, Stewart would humbly oblige their requests, bringing forth loud applauses as he denied Williams from the mark with his outstretched leg to keep the matchup on even footing going into half time.
Upon the resumption of the second period, the nightmare outing for A. Ramsay would continue in the 23rd minute as another great opportunity went a begging, with the forward placing his effort wide of the mark following a counterattack.
Like the opening period before, Alpha would capitalise on Riddim Squad’s failures to make good with their chances as Wilson netted his double in the 30th minute, passing his effort into the lower right hand corner from the top of the area, after being teed up by a left sided Grant pass.
Alpha would then gain their largest lead of the matchup three minutes later as Grant grabbed his double, silencing the crowd with a finish down the centre of the goal from the left side, following a Dwight Peters pass from the centre of the field.
However A. Ramsay would provide a twist in the tale as he finally found the back of the net in the 35th minute with a placed shot down the centre of the goal from the left side, following a one-on-one with Williams.
Riddim Squad would then be given the perfect opportunity to level the matchup three minutes later as they were awarded a penalty kick after Alpha once again picked up their sixth foul of the period.
Sporting a perfect record from the mark and with the crowd on their feet in expectation, Stewart would dishearten the large gathering as he saw his right footed effort denied by Williams, who fortuitously parried the shot onto the woodwork.
With the minutes ticking away, A. Ramsay would set up a climatic finish as he levelled the score with 1:45 left in the match, compliments of a shot into the right corner, after receiving a left sided pass, raising the decibel level in the arena in the process.
Sensing the possibility of a fifth goal on the horizon and with a foul to give, Riddim Squad would concede their fifth infraction of the period at the centre of the field.
The resulting spot-kick however would lead to Alpha stealing the victory with Williams netting the sublime go-ahead winner as his side held out for the remaining seconds to break Riddim Squad hearts.
In the third place playoff, Western Tigers humbled Santos by a 5-1 margin. Leading the assault with a double in the seventh and 23rd minutes was Stellon David while Daren Benjamin, Cleon Forrester and Randolph Wagner scored in the 12th, 25th and 30th minutes respectively.
On target for the losers in the 26th minute was Kenroy Dominic. Due to the win, Western Tigers will receive the third place trophy and $125,000 whilst Santos will pocket $75,000 and the corresponding trophy.
In the earlier exhibition matchups, Georgetown Celebrities defeated Rolex Celebrity Crew 3-1 on penalty kicks after normal and extra time finished 2-2.
The third exhibition fixture saw Wartsila defeating Ansa McAl 4-2 while the Masters edged Lyken Funeral Home 1-0 in the second game. In the opening exhibition affair, the Media trounced the Referees once more by a 5-0 margin.
The official presentation ceremony of the team and individual honours will occur at a venue and date to be announced.
