Wortmanville/Bent Street needle North East La Penitence to take championship

WORTMANVILLE/BENT STREET needled North East La Penitence 3-2 to be crowned the inaugural champions of the Stag Beer-sponsored Grassroots Foundation Inter-ward Knockout tournament which culminated at the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) ground, Bourda last Sunday.Prior to the kickoff of the match, a minute’s silence was observed for recently deceased North East La Penitence captain Orvin Weekes.
When the game started, both sides asserted themselves on the field of play. John Waldron opened the scoring for Wortmanville/Bent Street with a left-footed shot into the left side of the net from outside the penalty box in the 29th minute, a lead that was doubled 12 minutes later, when Anthony Abrams placed his shot in the right of the net, from the left hand side of the box.
Following the lemon-time break in which the eventual victors held on to their two-goal advantage, Randolph Wagner made it a one-goal possession encounter when he scored in the 50th minute for North East La Penitence.
Sheldon Holder added to the Wortmanville/Bent Street score in the 80th minute with a simple chipped shot over the onrushing keeper within the centre of the penalty box after being in a one-on-one position, to retain the two-goal cushion they enjoyed in the first half.
However, with time ticking away and North East La Penitence working hard to reduce the deficit, Andrew Murray Jr pulled one back for them in the 86th minute with a shot down the middle of the net from inside the penalty box.
For clinching the title, Wortmanville/Bent Street walked away with the championship trophy and the $1M first prize while North East La Penitence claimed $300 000 and the second-place trophy as runners-up.
Goalkeeper Devon Charles of Wortmanville/Bent Street was awarded the tournament’s Most Valuable Player title.
Earlier in the evening, Laing Avenue, led by goals from Orin Yard, Selwyn Isaacs and Delwyn Fraser in the 16th, 40th and 65th minutes respectively, crushed North/South Ruimveldt 3-0 in the third place playoff to take that position and the $100 000 cash prize while North/South pocketed the $50 000 fourth place prize.