In a finale that promised so much but delivered so little, Beterverwagting (BV)-A were crowned the Guinness of the Streets East Coast of Demerara champions, dismantling Melanie-B by a 4-1 margin at the Haslington Market Tarmac on Saturday.
The largest crowd of the tourney in the space of five minutes, a clinical offensive display as the fixture was over began it even began. Losing semi-finalists of two occasion, Delroy Dean and Akin Curry were the chief antagonist in Melanie-B’s destruction with respective doubles.
Dean found the back of the net in the fifth and sixth minute while Curry capped off the showing in the seventh and 10th minutes. Scoring a consolation goal in the 20th minute was Odel Gulliver.
With the win, BV-A walked away with $300,000 and the championship trophy while Melanie-B will collect $150,000 and the runners-up accolade. Both teams will also represent the region at the national tournament slated to be hosted later in the year.
Despite the majority of the viewership being in the Melanie-B camp, the carnage began in sublime fashion as Dean rifled his left footed effort through the legs of the final defender down the centre of the goal, after racing away down the left side.
The contrast of emotions would continue to be on display as Dean sent the small but vocal BV-A contingent into another round of celebrations one minute later, slotting into the empty net to seal his second after latching onto a right sided Curry pass following a two-on-one situation.
Playing provider to the previous conversion, the wily Curry would then get into the goal scoring act as he finished his effort down the centre of the goal following a one-one-one situation a minute onward, evoking BV chants around the venue.
The lopsided showdown and the decibel level would reach its zenith five minutes before half time as Curry sealed his double, blasting his effort into the right corner after skipping past his marker outside the right of the penalty area.
Content with their score line and opting to rest players in the second stanza, BV-A would concede a goal 10 minutes before the end of fixture as Gulliver scored, finishing into the empty net after an initial strike struck the right upright and fell into his path.
That would prove to be the closest Melanie-B would get to overturning the score line as BV-A easily saw out the remaining minutes to commence the celebrations on the playing area with the players and spectators.
The earlier third place matchup saw crowd favourite Nabacalis overcoming former champs Plaisance-A by a 3-2 score line. Carlos Matthews gave Plaisance-A the initial lead in the fourth minute with right side effort into the left corner.
However Nabacalis would level the score six minutes later as Seretsi Huntley scored, stealing the ball from the final defender before slotting home into the empty net unchallenged.
Nabacalis would then be given a chance to take the lead in the 24th minute as they were awarded a spot-kick after the final Plaisance-A defender was struck by a shot within the penalty box.
However they would fail to capitalize on the effort as it rolled wide of the left corner. Undeterred by their miss, Nabacalis would take the lead under similar circumstances as Kellon Blue scored from the penalty mark two minutes later after being awarded another spot-kick.
The score line would then become 3-1 one minute onward as Blue sealed his double, placing his effort through the legs of the final defender down the centre of the goal, following a one-on-one situation outside the area.
Plaisance-A would eventually pull one back in the 29th minute as Warren Gilkes netted through a right sided effort down the centre of the goal. Due to the win, Nabacalis received $75,000 and the third place trophy while Plaisance-A pocketed $75,000 and the respective trophy.
Prior to the main fixtures, Tiger Bay defeated Victoria Church Yard United 3-0 while King Scorpion edged Golden Grove Masters 1-0 in exhibition matchups.
