A sold-out Cliff Anderson Sports Hall arena was treated to an absolute spectacle in the final of the inaugural GT Beer Futsal championships as Colin Nelson powered Bent Street to the title augural GT Beer Futsal Championship, downing Sparta Boss 8-6 Sunday at the Clii Anderson Sports Hall.
In a final that promised much and exceeded expectations, Nelson scored four goals on either side of half-time netting in the sixth, seventh, 26th and 27th minutes to ensure the championship resides in Werk-en-Rust until the next edition. He finished as the event’s leading scorer in the process with 13 goals. Assisting in the win were Okeene Fraser, Amos Ramsay and Steffon Ramsay who netted in the 14th, 17th and 23rd minutes while a fortunate own goal in the 19th minute aided the cause.
For the losing team, Sheldon Shepherd recorded a hat-trick in the fourth, ninth and 16th minutes while Eusi Phillips, Travis Grant and Carl Tudor found the back of the net in the 18th, 24th and 25th minutes respectively.
For their success, Bent Street walked away with $500,000 and the championship trophy while Sparta Boss collected $250,000 and the corresponding accolade.
Billed as a clash of the stars, the meeting with GT Beer Brand Manager Jeff Clement, NAMILCO Finance Controller Fitzroy McLeod, GFF Finance Director Kareem Jones, Petra Organization Director Troy Mendonca and GFF Accountant Christine Jones was the calm before the storm.
The end of pleasantries signalled the commencement of the battle as both units tried to impose their contrasting philosophies. Entering the contest with the event’s best defensive record, Sparta Boss drew first blood four minutes into the fixture in the form of Shepherd whose right-side shot took a slight deflection and ended into the roof of the net, sending the divided venue into a frenzy.
Possessing the moniker of the tourney’s leading offence, Bent Street responded in emphatic fashion two minutes later to give their contingent a reason to celebrate.
Always on for the big occasion, the versatile Nelson blasted a powerful free kick with the outside of his right foot into the lower right corner from the left side of the field.
He then made his presence felt once more a minute later, giving his supporters little time to gather their composure as he rifled a right sided effort into the left hand corner of the net.
Stunned by the ease with which their much-vaunted defence was being breached, the East La Penitence outfit decided to fight fire with fire and brought the crowd in the venue to life once more as Shepherd levelled the score.
Not to be outdone by the exploits of Nelson, the equally adaptable Shepherd upon collecting a pass from Tudor on the left after the latter stole the ball, placed his effort into left corner, raising the decibel level in the arena.
However, Sparta Boss’s equaliser would only prove to be short-lived as Bent Street marched into the half time period amidst prolong cheers as Fraser scored one minute before the break, blasting a left side shot under the body of custodian Maurice Prince.
Akin to the first period, the second stanza began with the East La Penitence unit netting one minute into the resumption, levelling proceedings once more in the shape of Shepherd, who sealed his hat-trick with a left sided attempt which went under the ‘keeper, following a one-two pass combination with Grant.
The plot took an unexpected twist as a defensive error by Sparta Boss allowed Bent Street to take a pivotal 4-3 lead.
The lapse occurred one minute after Sparta Boss’s equalizer as final defender Phillips, upon trying to dribble the ball out from his final third, was disposed by Bents Street’s Amos Ramsay who slotted his effort into the right corner, evoking contrasting emotions in the stands.
Bent Street almost extended their lead second later as a Wilson left side strike, after skipping past the onrushing custodian following a swift counterattack, was denied on the goal-line by the sliding Shepherd.
With their championship hopes slipping away due to their self inflicted wounds, Phillips would make amends for his earlier blunder, appeasing the screaming viewership with a powerful strike into the right corner from the centre of the field.
Nonetheless another error would lead to Bent Street retaking the lead one minute later as fatigue due to the lack of bench depth and the relentless attacking pressure of their opponent began to set in on the East La Penitence unit.
The untimely blunder due to the pressure of the situation occurred as a simple back pass went under the leg of custodian Prince and into the net, much to disbelief of their vocal support staff. Bent Street began to seize control of the fixture as the neutrals were treated to arguably the goal of the championship seven minutes before the end compliments of Steffon Ramsay.
Not regarded for his attacking proficiency, the lanky centre half upon latching onto a lobbed clearance on the right side of the field, volleyed a thunderous effort into the top left hand corner, sending the venue into wild celebrations.
Nevertheless, the fixture was turned on its head as once more as Sparta Boss levelled the score line with goals one minute apart to set up, a climatic finish.
Held at bay for most of the fixture, Grant began the attempted comeback with six minutes remaining, toe-poking his effort from the top of the box into the left corner. The entire venue was then brought to its feet one minute later as Tudor, upon cutting in from the left side of the field, blasted a powerful right footed attempt into the left side of the goal.
With the contest entering its final stages and the momentum against his team, Nelson came to the party once more in sublime fashion, deafening the venue with the go-ahead goal through a left sided freekick into the lower right corner, sealing the hat-trick in the process. The celebrations then continued on the bench, in the stands and on the field one minute onward as Nelson broke the will of the East La Penitence unit, completing his helmet trick with a thunderous left footed strike into the roof of the right corner from the left of the field.
Overwhelmed by the sudden impact of Nelson, Sparta Boss would be unable to score in the final minutes, handing the title to Bent Street in the process. In the traditional third place playoff, Festival City downed West Front Road-Gold is Money by a 10-6 score line.
Eon Alleyne led the way with a second half helmet trick in the 19th, 20th, 23rd and 25th minutes while doubles from Dwayne Lawrence in the sixth and 12th, Solomon Austin in the 19th second and 29th minute and Daniel Favourite in the 28th and 30th minutes sealed the win.
For the losers, Darren Benjamin netted a double in the 24th and 26th minutes while Randolph Wagner grabbed a brace in the 26th and 27th minutes. Also on target in the loss was Hubert Pedro in the 11th minute while an own goal in the 17th completed the score line.
Due to the win, Festival City walked away with $125,000 and the corresponding accolade. West Front Road for their showing, collected $75,000 and the respective trophy.
Prior to the commencement of the finale and third place playoff, Banks DIH Limited defeated Lands and Surveys while the Guyana National Cricketers downed the Media team once again.
The other major sponsors of the event are the National Milling Company (NAMILCO) of Guyana and Trophy Stall Bourda.
