Bradford and James steer Charlestown past Brickdam
… WSS, ERSS and NRMSS also win

WHILE Brazil and Colombia were engaged in a heated quarter-final encounter in the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Charlestown Secondary, on the back of double strikes from Aroydy Bradford and Omari James, were humbling Brickdam Secondary in their second round fourth annual Digicel Inter-Secondary School Football Championships.

At the Bartica Secondary School ground, two-time national runners-up Waramadong Secondary scraped past the home team 2-1, East Ruimveldt Secondary edged past a game Bishops’ High School 2-1 at Camp Ayanganna, while at the Georgetown Football Club ground, North Ruimveldt Multilateral Secondary defeated Tucville Secondary 2-0.
At the Ministry of Education ground, Bradford started positively for Charlestown, when he made a spirited run in the first minute of the game, only to be denied by Brickdam’s defence, while at the other end, a Julian Pitt free kick, awarded after Malachi Adonis was fouled, went wide of Charlestown’s uprights.
The first minute exchange certainly set the tone for what was to come and while some were still talking about Bradford, who this year represented Guyana’s Under-21 at hockey in the Pan American Championships, the stocky striker found the back of the net in the 4th minute.
A pass from James that found its way through the legs of Brickdam’s defence and landed in the path of Bradford saw the striker make no mistake, by calmly placing the ball into the back of the net, leaving Brickdam custodian Darren Marks stranded.
James made it 2-0 in the 25th minute with his first of two goals, after Omally Scotland’s left-footed shot from the right of the box rebounded off the last post and landed at his feet, for which he said thanks by beating Marks on the first post, for a similar scoreline at halftime.
After the break, Bradford weaved his way through Brickdam’s defence, rounded Marks and placed the ball with the greatest of ease in the back of the net for a 3-0 lead in the 38th minute. However, three minutes later, back-to-back saves from Marks denied him (Bradford) from making it 4-0.
Tomol Mingo placed his name on the scoresheet for Charlestown in the 66th minute, when he scored from a goal-mouth scrimmage and after seeing Denilson Rose being given his marching orders for abusive language in the 70th minute, James completed his double when he emulated Bradford by worming through Brickdam’s defence and beating Marks.
At Camp Ayanganna, Wayne Forde handed ERSS the lead with his 7th minute strike, then watched as Romel Legall doubled it three minutes later, but a never-say-die attitude from Bishops’ saw Nathaniel King reduce the deficit to one goal, with his 18th minute goal.
Try as they may, neither team found the back of the net after that, even though ERSS had numerous opportunities to do so but squandered same through excessive dribbling, but when the final whistle sounded, they were the ones rejoicing.
At the Bartica Secondary School ground, Waramadong, who for two successive years were defeated by two-time national and four-time Region 10 champions Christianburg/Wismar Secondary School, saw Ashton Ward (26th) and Dion Rodrigues (30th) finding the back of the net, before Godfrey Naughton pulled one back for Bartica in the 70th minute.
With the win, Waramadong will now go on to face Three Miles Secondary in the Regional final tomorrow at the same venue from 15:30hrs.

(By Calvin Roberts)