A last gasp goal from Lerone Charles snatched a 1-1 result for the Guyana Police Force (GPF) against league leader Western Tigers when the Georgetown Football Association (GFA) Stag Beer League continued on Wednesday.
In front of a vocal crowd at the Georgetown Football Club, Bourda, Charles made his presence felt in a sublime manner in the 90th+3 minute.
While the finish was of exquisite quality, praise must also be heaped on the architect of the goal Quincy Holder, who delivered a perfect right side cross after skipping past his marker into the path of Charles, who volleyed a right-foot strike into the left corner to send the crowd into a frenzy.
As a result of the win, the lawmen move into the second position on 17 points due to a superior goal differential while the Tigers remain in the top spot on 23 points.
While the fixture featured few chances in the opening half, it was the Tigers who looked more likely to take the lead. Michael Pedro was first to test the lawmen in the 36th minute, lashing a left foot shot from inside the centre of the box which was denied by the legs of the goalkeeper.
Three minutes later Pedro fluffed a great chance to give his side the lead, racing onto a through pass from cousin Randolph Wagner into the right side of the box, only to fire a powerful right foot strike wide of the right corner.
Nonetheless the goal eventually came for the West Ruimveldt unit two minutes before the halftime break as Devon Forde scored, lashing the ball into the roof of the net from inside the six-yard area, after a goalmouth scramble ensued following a right side corner kick.
The second period was identical to the first stanza as the lawmen despite gaining consistent possession of the ball, failed to fashion meaningful attacks in the final third.
Forde should have made it 2-0 in the 61st minute, racing into the centre of the box to be in a one on one situation, only to fire his right foot effort straight at the onrushing custodian.
Next to be denied by the officers was Wagner who upon entering the right side of the box after evading several challenges, was denied brilliantly by the advancing goalkeeper through his legs.
The failure of the West Ruimveldt outfit to capitalise on their earlier chances came back to haunt them as Charles netted in the dying seconds to seal a vital point. Meanwhile in the opening fixture, Flamingo defeated Beacons by a 3-0 score line.
Orlando Ricketts, Matthew Nedd and Dwayne Layne scored in the 38th, 52nd and 85th minutes correspondingly. Due to the result, Flamingo climb to the sixth position on 10 points while Beacons remain in the cellar on four points.
