… Three hat-tricks registered
FOUR matches and 18 goals inclusive of three hat-tricks, were the highlights of the third night of action in the Kalden Organisation-organised Inter-Ministry/Corporation seven-a-side football competition, which continued at the Banks DIH, Thirst Park ground, Tuesday night, as John Fernandes Limited (JFL) swamped Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) 10-0. Orlando Fredericks, Alden Lawrence and Paul Daniels were the players registering hat-tricks for their respective teams, while former national Under-19 cricketer Shawn Holder, Kishon Lovell and Sherwyn Pinder scored doubles.
Fredericks got his hat-trick and the first of the night, in the 10th, 14th and 28th minutes for Bank of Guyana who defeated the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport 3-1, with the latter team’s goal coming off the boot of Andre Marcus in the 5th minute of the contest – the first for the night.
In the second game, Machinery Corporation (MACORP) fought tooth and nail with Ministry of Tourism and held them to a 2-2 draw, with Devon Benjamin (2nd) and Triston Bacchus (23rd) finding the back of the net for MACORP, and Joylyn Harry (22nd) and Sheldon Corlette (27th) for Ministry of Tourism.
The much-fancied Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T) lineup must have fancied a walkover, when they took the field to face Customs in the third encounter of the night.
However, they found a sturdy opponent who gave a good account of themselves, especially after Linden Hinds found the back of the net for the telecommunication service giant in the 8th minute.
Holder responded deftly for Customs, snatching the equaliser in the 14th minute and when he scored his second goal nine minutes later to give his team a 2-1 lead, the Tarzan-like thump of the chest signified the importance of the game for the Customs lineup.
But in true Didier Drogba-like fashion, Dellon Williams rose above the defence to head home a free kick which not only gave his team the equaliser one minute before the full-time whistle, but also earned them a much-needed point, when it looked as if they would not get any.
The final game of the evening provided the entertainment that the sprinkling of spectators wanted to see.
Lawrence, Lovell and Pinder found the back of the net in the first half to hand JFL a 3-0 lead at lemon-time and when play resumed for the second half amidst drizzles that turned into a heavy downpour shortly after, the victors went on a goal hunt, scoring at will against their hapless opponents.
Daniels scored in the 19th minute, followed by Pinder’s second two minutes later, before Daniels (22nd), Lawrence (24th and 25th) to complete his hat-trick, Lovell (26th) and Daniels two minutes after Lovell’s second goal, decimated the Ministry of Foreign Affairs lineup.
Weather permitting, action in the tournament, which will see the winning team carting off $250 000 and the second-, third- and fourth-placed finishers $175 000, $75 000 and $25 000 respectively, is set to continue tonight at the same venue with four more matches.