FROM THE time Solomon Austin latched onto a Daniel Favorite pass in the first minute of play and found the back of the net, the question was how many goals would Festival City score against Leopold Street in their Petra Organisation/Guyana Beverage Inc. Busta soft shoe tournament last Sunday night.Playing in the fifth match of the night, Festival City answered that question when the final whistle sounded as they scored an 8-1 victory, to record the largest margin of victory to date in the tournament which has at stake $600 000 for the top team.

On the same night, Ballerz became the first team to play unbeaten, following their enthralling 4-2 win over Broad Street, thanks to Steffon Ramsay’s hat-trick, which helped pull them from behind to claim the win.
The action got under way with Kitty Weavers, through a Sherwin ‘Dribbler’ Vincent 26th minute goal, needling Tucville 1-0, followed by Stevedore defeating Cross Street Werk-en-Rust 2-0, thanks to a brace from Mark Campbell in the 14th and 28th minutes.
Globe Yard, who on the previous night had overcome Back Circle 4-1, suffered a similar margin of defeat at the hands of West Back Road, with Phillip Rowley (4th and 11th), Jorel Tyrell (5th) and Jamal Haynes (21st) scoring for the winners even as Adami Hoyte scored Globe Yard’s solitary goal in the 16th minute.
Steffon Ramsay scored his first of three goals in the 5th minute through traffic, before Miguel Cummins equalised for Broad Street in the 14th minute, followed by Jamal Cozier’s go-ahead goal in the 19th minute.
Amos Ramsay ensured Ballerz remained in the contest, by nullifying Cozier’s goal in the 21st minute, then watched four minutes later as Steffon Ramsay scored his second goal, before completing his hat-trick in the 27th minute to give Ballerz a 4-2 lead, converting a penalty he won after being brought down by Broad Street custodian inside the area.
Cozier had the opportunity to make it a one-goal possession for Ballerz, but his shot from a Jimmy Gravesande pass soared high and wide over the bar in the 28th minute, creating little or no trouble for Ballerz custodian.
As both Leopold Street and Festival City were undergoing their knock-around drills before the game began, the pundits and fans on the other side of the barrier were questioning among themselves, what the margin of victory would be for Festival City.
More so, when Austin converted Favorite’s cross and Stellon David drilled home a low powerful left-footed drive from midway inside Leopold Street’s half in the third minute to make it 2-0, tongues were wagging uncontrollably as to the outcome of the contest.
Jermine Somerset pulled one back for Leopold Street in the 6th minute, but his goal reignited Festival City’s hunger to score and they did so at will, with Dwayne Lawrence finding the back of the net in the 12th minute to give them a 3-1 lead at halftime.
When play began in the second half, Favorite made it 4-1 with his 23rd minute goal, then celebrated with Carl Lockhart, who scored a double, with the first coming in the 27th minute after he received a pass from Lawrence and the second in the 28th when he intercepted a pass between the defenders.
Andrew Sookhoo, who was working hard for Leopold Street but failed to find the back of the net due to some strong defensive works from Austin and Favorite, succeeded when he rocked the small goal in the 28th minute to make the scoreline 6-2.
But a hungry Eon Alleyne cashed in on the goal-scoring feast for Festival City, scoring a double of his own in the 29th and 30th minutes to hand his team the largest win of the tournament and at the same time increasing their chances of taking home the top prize.
Like Ballerz, whose team comprised players from Rhythm Squad, Bent Street fielded a side that was made up mainly of players from Alpha ‘The Hammer’ United, except for prolific striker Anthony ‘Awo’ Abrams and upcoming custodian Amanackie Forde.
The dreadlocked Konata Manning, who scored Alpha’s lone goal in their Caribbean Football Union Club Championships match which they contested earlier in the day and lost, sent an early warning to Albouystown and their fans with a low powerful shot from inside his own half that was saved.
At the other end, Marlon Nedd emulated Manning with his shot, but Forde who is his Chase Academy teammate was equal to the task as both sides finished the half with a clean sheet, before Daniel Wilson handed Bent Street the lead with his first of two goals, scored in the 21st minute.
One minute later Manning made it 2-0 before he fed Wilson a wonderful pass which he positively converted to complete his double in the 24th minute while Sheldon Holder left Albouystown in a daze with his 26th minute strike, to hand Bent Street a 4-0 win and a spot in the knockout stages.

By Calvin Roberts