Fruta Conquerors solidified their fourth position in the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Stag Beer Elite League, overcoming a one goal deficit to defeat hosts and fifth placed Guyana Defence Force 2-1 Friday at the Camp Ayanganna ground.
Trailing 1-0 going into the second period compliments of a 33rd minute Delwyn Fraser conversion, second half goals from Eon Alleyne and Jermin Junior in the 67th and 70th minutes respectively propelled the Tucville unit to the unlikely win in front of a large crowd.
Conquerors are now on 18 points, extending their lead over fifth placed GDF to four points as the latter remain on 14 points.
The first encounter ended in a 2-2 draw and Friday night’s fixture started brightly for the visitors as Junior was denied in the 18th minute from the right side of the penalty box by the legs of custodian Oswald Cornette.
Then, Eusi Phillips almost pushed the hosts into the lead in the 28th minute but a curling free kick from the top of the penalty box sailed narrowly wide of the left hand corner of the goal.
The hosts eventually snatched the lead five minutes onward as Fraser placed his shot from the left side of the box into the lower right hand corner, after racing onto a lobbed pass.
GDF almost made it 2-0 in the 40th minute as Delroy Fraser, upon skipping past two markers within the centre of the field, fired his right footed effort from within the right side of the box only to see it go wide of the left hand corner.
The home side then started the second period brightly as a Phillips free kick 30 yards from goal on the left side of the field, was tipped over the crossbar by shot-stopper Alex ‘Scotland Youth’ Murray.
However, the momentum of the matchup changed when custodian Cornette was injured following a collision with opposing defender Rafael Edwards, forcing his immediate substitution.
This unfortunate incident seemed to breathe life into the visitors who almost levelled the score in the 67th minute with a Dennis Edwards shot from the top of the box, was tipped around the right upright by the ‘keeper.
The resulting corner would provide the vital equaliser as Alleyne placed his first time effort down the centre of the goal, after collecting a right-side cross following the corner kick from Junior.
The home side then had the wind knocked out of their sails three minutes onward in sublime fashion when Junior scored.
Racing down the centre of the field, Junior, upon nearing the 18-yard box, unleashed a curling right footed strike from 24 yards, which struck the left upright and settled into the back of the net.
It almost became 3-1 in the 74th minute but a Alleyne header was tipped around the left upright by the ‘keeper, after latching onto a right sided cross from Edwards.
GDF almost snatched the equaliser in dramatic fashion in the 85th minute but Delwyn Fraser’s attempt was tipped over the crossbar acrobatically by Murray, after the player cut towards his favoured right leg and shot from within the left of the box.
In the opening matchup of the night, Slingerz FC climbed to the top of the standings, dismantling previous leaders Pele FC by a 3-0.
Current Points Standings
Team GP W L D GF GA GD Pts
Slingerz 12 8 1 3 25 6 +19 24
Pele 12 7 2 3 25 11 +14 24
Alpha United 11 6 1 4 16 7 +9 22
Fruta Conquerors 12 5 4 3 15 14 +1 18
Guyana Defence Force 12 4 6 2 19 21 -2 14
Buxton United 11 3 8 0 6 19 -13 9
GFC 11 2 7 2 10 26 -16 8
Monedderlust 11 2 8 1 8 19 -11 7
