In what can be described as a lopsided final, Slingerz FC clinched their first Mayor’s Cup championship dismissing a toothless Western Tigers by a 5-0 score line on Sunday at the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) ground in Bourda.
Julian Wade and Dexroy Adams started the demolition in the ninth and 16th minutes while Anthony Abrams recorded a double in the 89th and 90th+2 and Dwayne Lawrence scored in the 81st minute.
With the win, Slingerz FC secured the championship trophy and $1,000,000 first prize. For their efforts, Western Tigers collected the second place package of the runners-up trophy and $300,000.
Witnessed by a large crowd under wet conditions, the Vergenoegen side would break the early deadlock through a sliding finish from Wade into the lower left corner after receiving a right sided pass within the centre of the box from Adams.
Playing provider to his team’s opener, the speedy Adams would etch his name on the scorer’s sheet seven minutes onward compliments of a flat 28-yard strike from the right side of the field which inexplicably evaded custodian Derick Carter and ended in the left hand corner.
Guilty of wasting several chances, Slingerz would have to wait nine minutes before the end of normal time to register their third goal as Lawrence scored, thumping his effort into the middle of the net, after latching onto a deflected Abrams strike within the six-yard area.
Abrams would then get into the goal rush eight minutes onward, skipping past the onrushing custodian in a one-on-one situation before finishing into the middle of the net, after latching onto a through pass from Lawrence.
The outcome would then be completed with the final kick of the fixture as Abrams netted his double, slotting into the empty net from within the six yard area, after receiving a right sided pass from Lawrence.
The tone of the evening was set in the earlier third place matchup as Fruta Conquerors walloped arch-rivals Pele FC by a 6-1 score line in a shortened 70 minutes affair.
Sheldon Holder opened the scoring in the ninth minute for Conquerors with a calm finish into the right corner from within the left side of the box, after his initial headed attempt was parried back into his path by the goalkeeper.
Their advantage would be increased in the 36th minute as Odell Williams netted with a simple tap home into the empty net after collecting a left sided pass from Holder within the six yard area.
A two-goal lead would quickly increase to a three-goal advantage in the 49th minute as Daniel Wilson scored with a simple stab home into the middle of the net, after a flat right sided cross from Williams slipped through
the custodian’s hands and rolled into his path.
Like the intermittent showers, the goals would continue to rain on Pele as Wilson sealed his double eighth minutes onward, flicking his effort over the advancing ‘keeper into the net, after a right sided cross bounced over the head of the defender and landed in his path within the box.
On the receiving end for most of the affair, Pele would finally pull one back in the 63rd minute as Marlon Nedd scored, lashing his effort down the middle of the goal after an initial strike was parried into his path by experienced custodian Lebert Stephenson.
Pele’s goal would prove to be nothing more than a brief respite as Williams competed his double fortuitously three minutes later with a tame right footed effort from outside the box, which comically went through the hands of the keeper and rolled into the lower left corner.
The win would be then completed in the 69th minute as Wilson grabbed his hat-trick, opening up his body to place his right footed effort into the right hand corner past the advancing ‘keeper, after collecting a through pass from Holder within the centre of the box.
Due to the victory, Fruta Conquerors claimed the third place accolade and $200,000 donated by Aruwai Resort and Plaza owner, Chuniela Babulall while Pele will walk away with $100,000 and the corresponding accolade.
Prior to the commencement of the main fixtures, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) downed Berbice outfit Monedderlust FC by a 2-1 margin to secure the commander’s trophy in an exhibition fixture.
