SPORTING a new-look team comprising former Pele Football Club players

Gregory ‘Jackie Chan’ Richardson and Travis ‘Zorro’ Grant, national club champions Alpha ‘The Hammer’ United defeated Amelia’s Ward Panthers 4-0, as action in the Guyana Football Federation Super League competition continued at the Georgetown Football Club ground last Wednesday night.
In the feature encounter of the night’s double-header, points leaders BK Western Tigers maintained their lead at the top with a 2-1 victory over Pele in a heated contest which saw Pele’s Stellon David given marching orders four minutes after he reduced his team’s deficit from the penalty spot.
Alpha’s goals for their third win in the tournament came off the boot of Andrew Murray (10th) and Richardson, whose 25th minute penalty kick enabled his side to take the lemon-time break with a 2-0 lead.
On the resumption of play, Anthony Abrams’ 56th minute strike, coupled with Grant’s 79th minute goal, sealed the win for Alpha who moved to fourth position with 10 points from five matches, four points behind BK Western Tigers.
The Linden-based Amelia’s Ward team was also a new-look one in comparison to the side that contested and lost the 2012/2013 Kashif and Shanghai final on New Year’s Day, as players the calibre of inspirational skipper Travis Watterton and K&S 2012/13 Most Outstanding Goalkeeper Odell Allicock were all missing – the club lost 16 players during the transfer window period.
In the feature contest, both BK International Western Tigers and Pele sought for a commanding position early in the first half, but tight defence coupled with exemplary custodial work saw that period end goalless.
However, the words of Tigers coach Calvin Allen must have made an impact on his players in the second half, as they came out with a second wind, attacking their opponents’ goal area with gusto at the Southern End of the venue.
From one of many goal raids, Devon Millington worked his way deep into Pele’s third and sent a gem of a pass across the goal area where an unmarked Gavin Wilson finished the job to give his team a 1-0 lead in the 49th minute.
Twelve minutes later Millington made it 2-0, when he eased past the defence and sent his shot past a diving Shemroy Arthur, beating him to his right, much to the delight of the small but appreciative crowd on hand.
This was after Rensford Coleridge muffed a one-on-one chance with Arthur, after the former had outsprinted his two markers from midway in Pele’s half, only to send a tame right foot shot to Arthur who affected the save with the greatest of ease.
David reduced Pele’s deficit by one, when he scored from the penalty area in the 65th minute, four minutes after Millington’s goal, before he was given marching orders by the referee for violent conduct, two minutes after his goal.
To add insult to injury, David hurled several abusive remarks at the referee as he made his way off the field, including a threatening remark “Y’all dis want people kill y’all”, much to the disgust of those who heard same.
It is now left to the GFF to inflict some level of punishment on this young player, who showed little or no respect for the officials, hurling out his remarks within the earshot of a few officials from the GFF.
After much tugging and pulling, with Pele being reduced to 10 men, but still showing guts and determination to draw level with their opponents, the final whistle sounded with BK Western Tigers taking full points.
The action continues on Sunday with three more games at different venues, wherein at the Uitvlugt ground, Den Amstel Porknockers will come up against Amelia’s Ward Panthers at 14:00hrs and at 16:00hrs Uitvlugt Warriors and BV/TU will clash.
At the GFC ground Alpha will look to further reduce BK Western Tigers’ lead at the top, when they oppose BCC Rosignol United at 15:30hrs in a game that was originally set to take place at the Blairmont Community Centre ground.
The point standings at the end of Wednesday’s matches are as follows: