Day two of the Diamond Mineral Water Hockey Festival saw the GCC clubs chalk up more wins at the National Gymnasium following their success on Thursday evening.
The GCC Vintage faced the Old Fort Generals in a second clash in the Value4U Masters Over-45 category and followed up their 6-2 win over the same opposition with a 4-2 win this time around.
GCC took an early 2-0 lead off the stick of Alan Fernandes in the third minute while Dwayne Scott also found the net in the fifth minute. Despite being 2-0 early in the game, the Old Fort side showed grit and overran the GCC defence who allowed Ellis Chance to score two field goals of his own to drag Old Fort back into the game. Chance’s goals came in the seventh and 15th minutes respectively but that would be it in terms of goals for Old Fort. Fernandes completed a brilliant team move to sweep home his second of the game in the 22nd minute as GCC forged ahead. Scott also got in on the act making sure that GCC ran out 4-2 winners with his second of the game as well, coming in the 30th minute.
In the ladies segment of the festival, the GCC women’s teams faced off with GCC Spice losing 0-3 to their GBTI GCC counterparts. Cautious play was the main takeaway for much of this game as neither side seemed keen on allowing any errors which would result in conceding goals. However, the game exploded into life with none other than the in-form Abosaide Cadogan at the centre of it. After Vanessa Pires found her shot on target in the 26th minute, Cadogan netted a brace of goals in quick succession. Her strikes which came in the form of field goals, were scored in the 29th and 37th minutes to ensure the GBTI GCC ladies came out on top.
In another women’s clash, the GBTI GCC ladies found themselves in action yet again, this time facing the Trinidad & Tobago Police ladies. The fixture served up a rollercoaster of a game with momentum shifting from the GCC girls to the TT Police. First the visitors clinched an early lead through some fine individual work from Victoria Pierre who slammed home a fierce shot in just the second minute of the game. Next it was GCC’s turn to take charge of the match with two quick goals to take the lead, Sonia Jardine (5’) converted from a penalty corner and Sandy Roopnarine (12’) netted a field goal to push their side ahead. Halftime saw GBTI GCC leading 2-1 but after the break, the TT Police women fought back with a well-taken brace of goals through Brittney Hingh (22’, 27’) to push the Trinidadian team back into the lead. At 3-2, and the fulltime whistle nearing, Jardine would have the final say, saving the day for her side with a last gasp goal following a penalty corner in the 40th and final minute of the game. The final scoreline ended at 3-3, arguably one of the closest games of the tournament so far.
GCC Vintage were also back in action, facing the Trinidad & Tobago Masters side in the Value4U Masters category. This game ended with Vintage needling the TT Masters despite possession in the midfield switching sides through out the game. The lone goal for the winners was scored by Alan Fernandes in the very first minute of that match.
In what can only be described as a beatdown, GCC Spice dished out a 7-0 thrashing to YMCA Old Fort in the ladies category. Spice skipper Marzana Fiedtkou opened proceedings with a goal following a penalty corner in the fifth minute, she would go on to score a hattrick, the other two goals netted in the 20th and 40th minutes. Julia Gouveia also came to the party with a brace of her own (18’ & 27’) while Aliyah Gordon (38’) and Princesa Wilkie (40’) added the finishing touches.
Meanwhile in the Men’s Over-35 category, Antonio’s Hickers came up against old nemesis Old Fort Expendables and sent them packing 6-4. In a much improved display from Thursday night’s encounter which they lost to the Hickers 2-8, Old Fort found themselves leading 3-0 within the first seven minutes of that game thanks to an ultra aggressive approach. Striker Jason DeSantos was the first to register his name on the scoresheet in the second minute while Dwight Sullivan (5’) and Ascofu Simon (7’) handed Old Fort a big lead. However, the aggressive approach from Old Fort left them open at the back and the Hickers’ star man Akim Toussaint showed no mercy, banging in all six of his side’s goals to stage a rampaging comeback. Toussaint’s goal glut began in the eight minute while the other five came in the 15th, 17th, 20th, 28th and 30th minutes respectively. Old Fort had no answer to Toussaint’s onslaught and could only muster up one additional goal in the 29th minute through Roger Daniels.
The festival continues today at the same venue with 12 games slated for the day. Action will bully off at 1PM with play in the Over-45 category as the Old Fort Generals look for their first win against the T&T Masters.
