Winners Connection crush Milerock 2-0 to win $1M top prize

… Topp XX edge Silver Shattas 2-1

THE giant-killers Winners Connection crushed CBR Milerock 2-0 to capture their first championship at this level, carting off the $1M first prize in the inaugural Upper Demerara Football Association/GT Beer football championship last Wednesday, at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground. willingness
In a tense battle Winners Connection took the fight to the more accomplished Milerock and did show the eagerness to win.
Milerock, who had to settle for $750 000 second-place prize, were up against an opponent who may not have been technically equal to them, but surely their grit and determination made up for whatever shortcomings they might have had going into this game.
This was credited to the forward thrust shown by the duo of Rawle ‘Boney’ Gittens and Marmalique Davidson.
When Davidson was brought down on top of the arc, the veteran defender Marlon ‘Cross-Eye’ Maxius strode to take the ensuing free kick, which he drilled through the wall and rocked the back of the net in the 28th minute and sent the appreciative crowd which had braved the drizzles to celebrate a 1-0 advantage.
This did not stop Milerock from attempting to get the equaliser before the first half but Winners held sway to hold onto their slim lead at lemon-time.
By now, Winners had shown guts and determination as they built their confidence and came forward but Milerock did not back off from their game plan, even though their opponents remained stuck to the task of playing positive football across the pitch despite the heaviness of the playfield.
For their continued bustling play Winners Connection earned a corner and their players crowded the box where the head of Gittens connected to the high cross in the 58th minute, leaving the advancing Milerock goalkeeper Tarrus Franklin stranded as he could not punched it away coming off his line, 2-0 in favour of the eventual champions.
From there, it was an uphill task for Milerock because Winners Connection by now were not giving any quarters nor asking for any, remaining focused and connected while changes were made to the Milerock side without much success as the time ticked away.
In the end Winners Connection were the victorious side coming away with their first-ever division one title since they were formed in 2005, while in the third place playoff, Bakewell Topp XX scored a 2-1 win over Silver Shattas to win $500 000 as the losers collected $250 000.

(By Joe Chapman)