Santos climbed to second in the Georgetown Football Association (GFA) Stag Beer League, edging Northern Rangers 1-0 on Tuesday at the Georgetown Football Club in Bourda,
Anthony Hall scored in the 77th minute secure the hard-fought result. With the win, Santos are now in second position on 17 points while the losers remain in the sixth position on seven points.
The matchup started brightly for Santos. Ryan Hackett should have netted in the third minute, slotting wide of the left corner unchallenged after collecting a flat right side cross inside the six yard area.
Hackett once again was a threat in the 17th, unleashing a powerful left foot strike from 24 yards out in the centre which was tipped acrobatically around the right post by the goalkeeper.
Joshua Parvatan was next to threaten the woodwork for Santos in the 39th minute, directing a powerful header from inside the area following a left side cross which was punched over the crossbar by the ‘shot-stopper’.
Reduced to a defensive role for most of the opening stanza, Northern Rangers came to life in the second half, almost snatching the lead in the 66th minute as a Sunil Logan right foot strike from inside the right of the box was denied by the advancing goalkeeper.
The Santos custodian was called to action four minutes later, fashioning the save of the match as a powerful Omalli Nassy left foot volley from inside the left of the box was parried brilliantly by the ‘shot-stopper’.
The aforesaid save by the ‘keeper seemed to inspire the Santos forward line as substitute Hall made his presence felt seven minutes onward, racing into the right side of the box before rifling a powerful flat right foot shot into the lower left hand corner.
Meanwhile, Camptown recorded their win of the event, downing Beacons FC by a 1-0 score line. Anthony Sancho was the difference on the night with a 70th minute conversion.
Due to the win, Camptown move onto 11 points while remaining in the fifth position. On the other hand, Beacons remain in the cellar position on four points.
While the contest featured few chances, Camptown almost snatched the lead in the 12th minute as Joel Jemmott struck the right upright after collecting a flat right side cross inside the right of the box.
On the other side, Josephius Charles should have given Beacons the lead in the 29th minute, pouncing on a loose ball following a slip by the final defender to be in a one on one situation with the keeper, only to fire his shot straight at the advancing custodian.
Sancho was next to miss a glorious chance in the 41st minute, curling a right foot effort over the crossbar with only the keeper in his path after racing into the left side of the box.
Sancho’s profligacy continued in front of the woodwork in the second stanza, placing a right foot shot wide of the left corner after latching onto a through pass during another one on one situation with the ‘shot-stopper’ in the 57th minute.
Nonetheless the lanky forward made amends for his earlier failures 13 minutes onward under similar circumstances, lobbing the ball over the onrushing goalkeeper into the back of the net from inside the centre of the area.
Action in the event is set to continue on Tuesday at the same venue with another doubleheader.
