Hikers signal intentions to retain title with a 8-4 win over Old Fort

HIKERS Hockey Club signalled their intentions of retaining the coveted men’s title of the Diamond Mineral Water International Indoor Hockey Festival with a resounding 8-4 victory over former champions, Old Fort, on the opening night of the tournament.Also on the opening night, three-time women’s title holders, GCC Tigers, were also in top form as they cruised to an easy 8-2 victory over the Hikers’ ladies, while the GCC Vets completed a successful night for the club with a 7-3 victory over their Old Fort counterparts.
The night saw top local teams go head-to-head, with the powerful Hikers’ men’s side boasting the best record in the Festival to date and not disappointing their voluminous supporters.
While Old Fort’s Dwayne Allen was the first to find the back of the net just four minutes into the match, the Hikers’ Shane Samuels drew his team even by completing a swift overlap up the right side with an accurate finish.
Despite some solid defence from Old Fort led by a fine performance from left back, Dwight Sullivan, the Hikers took control of the match with better finishing through one field goal and double penalty corner goals from Jamarj Assanah; a second field goal from Samuels and singles each from Devin Munroe and Michael Harding.
Old Fort’s Simon managed a second for his side in the first half while his brother, Ascofu Simon, and Mark Fraser managed one each in the dying minutes leaving the Hikers the 8–4 victors.
The GCC Tigers stormed to a 5-1 lead over the Hikers by the end of the first half of their duel.
Overlapping left defender, Ashley DeGroot, produced top quality finishes in completing a first half hat-trick for the Tigers while teammates, Kerensa Fernandes and Gabriella Xavier, put the game beyond reach of the Hikers.
Hikers right back, Marisha Rodrigues managed a lone penalty corner goal for her team in the first half and Macaela Harding added one more in the second to complete the Hikers tally of two, but GCC stormed through the second half with three more goals to leave the final score at 8-2. Trisha Woodroffe, Ulrica Sutherland and Aliyah Gordon were the GCC scorers in the second half.
National veterans Champions GCC continued their fine form of the recent national indoor championships with a 7-3 beating of Old Fort.
Current Hockey Board President, Philip Fernandes, assumed his familiar position of top goal-scorer of the match with a helmet-trick to his name, while teammate, Damon Woodroffe, added a hat -trick. Old Fort’s former national midfielder, Ivor Thompson, pulled off a hat-trick for his side but failed to garner enough support to make an impact on the match.
The foreign teams were down to make their first appearance in the tournament last evening with GCC taking on Fatima of Trinidad, Trinidad Police facing the Hickers, both in the vets division, Hikers versus YMCA of Barbados and Old Fort meeting GCC in the men’s division.
The tournament runs until Sunday at the National Gymnasium.