Alpha United climbed to the top of Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Stag Beer Elite League, downing Buxton United by a 2-0 score line on Tuesday at the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) ground.
Delon Lanferman recorded a double in the 21st and 89th minute to propel the ‘Hammers’ into the top spot with 12 points. On the other hand, the East Coast of Demerara unit remain on three points and in the cellar position.
Despite the dogged defending of the Buxtonians, the Georgetown unit took the lead 21 minutes into the fray compliments of a Lanferman effort from the right side of the box past the onrushing keeper into the lower left hand corner, after racing onto a lobbed through pass.
The concession seemed to spur on the Buxtonians as began to enjoy several moments of possession, recording their first shot seven minutes onward as Clive Andries flashed his 26 yard effort from the centre of the field, wide of the top right hand corner.
Kevon Barnwell also went close for Buxton United two minutes later, placing his right footed effort wide of the right hand corner, after latching onto a through-pass from Denver Dennis within the right side of the box.
Similarly, Alpha United almost doubled their lead in the 42nd minute as Kithson Bain directed his header wide of the right hand corner, after rising above everyone within the right side of the six yard area to make contact with a left sided cornerkick.
Alpha United captain Daniel Wilson nearly doubled their advantage in the 73rd minute, forcing a diving save from custodian Jason Cromwell to his right to deny a powerful 24 yard effort from the centre of the field.
Steffon Ramsay then wasted a glorious chance to increase their lead one minute later from the resulting cornerkick, as the cross into the area fell into his unchallenged path, only for his control to fail with the ball rolling into the path of the scrambling Cromwell.
The woodwork then came to the rescue of Buxton in the 86th minute as curling effort from Ramsay at the top of the box, crashed into the crossbar and rolled over the goal.
Alpha unit eventually completed the score line three minutes onward as Lanferman grabbed his second under controversial circumstances.
Standing clearly in an offside position within the left side of the penalty box, Lanferman slotted his effort into the net after an initial Wilson strike was parried into his path by the diving Cromwell, much to the protests of the Buxtonian players and management staff.
The second slated matchup of the night between Slingerz FC and the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) was abandoned after the former refused to take the field after the GFF had declared that four of their players was found to be ineligible.
Winner of the round will pocket $4,000,000 while the second, third and fourth place teams will collect $2,000,000, $1,000,000 and $500,000 respectively. Similarly, the point’s leader prior to the knockout stage in the League Genesis round will pocket an additional $1,000,000.
Action in the tournament is slated to continue on Saturday with a doubleheader at the No. #5 ground in Berbice. In the opening fixture at 19:00hrs, Fruta Conquerors will oppose Slingerz FC while Monedderlust FC will lock horns with Alpha United in the feature matchup at 21:00hrs.
