Alpha United and the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) battled to a 1-1 draw when the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Stag Beer Elite League continued Friday at the Tucville Community Centre ground.
Kithson Bain gave Alpha United the early lead in the ninth minute while the army side equalized in the 44th minute. Alpha United are now in second position with nine points while the GDF remain in fifth position with five points.
The match started brightly for the ‘Hammers’ as they took the early lead when Bain netted with a towering header.
Rising high to latch onto a right side corner kick from William Europe, the Grenadian International powered his header off the bottom of the crossbar and into the goal.
He almost made it 2-0 moments later, forcing a smart save from the ‘keeper with a shot from the centre of the field which had to be parried around the right upright.
GDF felt they had drawn level in the 30th minute when Delroy Fraser stabbed home down the centre of the goal from within the six yard only for the offside flag to be waved by assistant official despite an Alpha player being next to the right upright.
The contentious call by the official only seemed to galvanize the army side as they were handed another opportunity to level the score in the form of a penalty kick one minute before the half time interval.
Awarded the spot-kick following a handled ball from a right side cross, Prince made no mistake from the distance as he sent the ‘keeper the wrong way while burying his effort into the lower right hand corner.
Upon the resumption of the second stanza, Wilson forced a smart save from the ‘keeper in the 52nd minute with a right-foot shot from the right side of the box.
Phillip Moffatt then struck the right side netting from the left side of the box in the 68th minute as Alpha began to throw bodies forward in search of the go-ahead goal.
With GDF content with the score line and inviting pressure through their defensive tactics, Wilson fired his header just wide of the left corner in the 82nd minute, after collecting a right sided corner kick within the penalty box.
Alpha United eventually held on to secure a vital point when Dwayne Lawrence was denied in the 88th minute, volleying a right footed strike from within the top of the box straight at the ‘keeper. In the second fixture, Pele defeated fierce rivals Fruta Conquerors 2-1 to go atop the standings.
