By Rawle Toney

IN one of their most dominant performances to date, Slingerz FC railroad Pele Football Club in a 3 – 0 win on Friday, the same night Fruta Conquerors defeated the Army 2 – 1 when the STAG Elite League football competition continued.

Both games had a story behind it that made the night’s double header even more interesting and the scores of people who turned up at the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Base Camp Ayanganna Ground were kept entertained through the 90+ minutes contests.

Pele FC went into the game sitting at the top of the table with 24 points while Slingerz sat in third position on 21 points (behind Alpha United 22 points).

Their first meeting ended in a 1 – 1 draw and was ironically played at the same venue. However, on Friday, Slingerz came with the intention of hammering Pele to the ground and it was evident from the opening minutes.

If there was a Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the match award, Vurlon Mills would’ve clearly taken home that accolade with his exceptional performance.

Mills had earlier threatened the goal when he was picked out by Tichard Joseph, but his shot went just wide off target.

However, in the 13th minute, Mills’ right footed volley was timed to perfection and the Pele keeper had no stopping the ball from piercing his net.

On the other side, the STAG Elite League/COURTS Player of the Month Gregory Richardson was trying everything possible to keep Pele in the game, but his every move was thwarted Slingerz airtight defence.

Richardson had scored a goal that was later disallowed with the referee assistant raising his flag, signalling the striker was caught in an offside position.

Meanwhile, Joseph would extend his side’s lead when he rattled in a free-kick from approximately 20 yards out from goal in the 29th minute.

Three minutes later (32nd minute), Dwain Jacobs scored from point-blank range after Mills had sent a hard shot on target that the keeper could not hold on too and though stopping the ball, it rebounded into the path of the goal hungry national player who made no mistakes in extending his side’s lead to 3 – 0.

Travis Grant was brought down in the 18 yards box and a penalty was awarded to Pele FC and Kanata Manning was tasked to take the kick but the dreadlocks wearing player’s shot was hit too hard and went sailing into the GDF compound.
The second half saw Slingerz being the aggressor and Pele FC losing their talisman Richardson, who picked up his second yellow card on the night and was given a red card.

Down ten men and without their leading goal scorer, Pele failed to threatened the defence and while Slingerz made several good run on goal, things didn’t materialise into more goals and the Vergenoegen based club held on to a 3 – 0 win and move to the top the table.

Meanwhile in the second game, Fruta Conquerors came from behind and goals from Eon Alleyne and Jermaine Junor saw them four points clear of the Army to settle in the fourth position on 18 points.

The game had a build-up of the chase for the fourth spot, since it’s evident that Slingerz, Pele and Alpha United will take up the top three spots.

With Chief-of-Staff Brigadier Mark Phillips watching from the sidelines, the GDF went ahead when Eusi Phillips converted from a brilliant break down the left flank to have his shot beat Fruta Conquerors’ Alex Murray in goal.

However, in the second half, Alleyne and Junor teamed up on top to create havoc and would eventually both scored to hand their side the important win.