The Trinidad and Tobago Queen’s Park Hockey Club exacted a measure of revenge for their 2016 defeat to Pepsi Hikers by winning their showdown yesterday defeating their arch rivals 8 – 3 in this year’s final of the Diamond Mineral Water indoor hockey festival when the curtain came down at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall last evening.
It seemed like a breeze for QPCC who led 4 – 1 at half-time and looked set to dethrone Hikers (which they eventually did) by adding four more second-half goals to complete triumph.
It was a sorry night for the locals who looked a bit tired and mainly found offensive reward off the stick of Aroydy Bradford who had two of Hikers’ conversions to finish the festival with the most, 25.
Hikers had earlier completed a gruelling come from behind 6 – 4 triumph over Bounty GCC who led 3 – 2 at the half in a hard-fought semifinal.
Hikers managed to keep their composure and clawed their way back to ensure a 2017 rematch with the Trinidad-based club which whipped Old Fort 8 – 2 in their semi-final clash.
The Pizza Hut GCC girls, however took the women’s final 1 – 0 over Lady Hikers in a penalty shootout courtesy of brilliant goalkeeping from ‘keeper Briawna Gorgon who had two blocks with the conversion coming from number two Gabriella Xavier which decided the eventual outcome.
The intense scoreless regal time matchup was characterised by Hikers prowling offensive efforts and GCC’s rock like defence which in the end, proved to be the deciding factor.
Hikers had earlier warmed up for the final with a 13 – 0 pounding of Bingo Spartans in a match where retired squash queen Nicolette Fernandes found the back of the net on four occasions.
Nicole Eastman also dominated that scorecard with a hat-trick of her own.
Winners Pizza hut GCC had the better of Old Fort Shooting Stars 6 -2 to shoot their way into the final.
The veterans’ final saw QPCC holding off a late surge from GCC Vintage to take that final by a 6 – 5 margin.
QPCC’s Raphael Gouveia had an outstanding match, going past the upright in the 6th, 17th, and 34th minute to outdo Vintage’s Dwayne Scott’s triple strike.
Earlier, GCC had gotten past Old Fort 6 – 1 in their semifinal while QPCC had the better of Antonio’s Hikers 5 – 1 in the other semifinal clash.
