IT WAS another intense night of exchanges at the Golden Grove ground on Tuesday evening in the semi-finals of the STAG Super XVI knockout competition involving three East Demerara and one East Bank teams.
Defending champions and the only non-East Demerara team, Grove Hi Tech endured a torrid test from 10-man Victoria Kings before taking it home and booking their second successive place in the final with a grinding 3-1, extra time win.
The first semi-final produced another gruelling encounter between Mahaica Determinators and Ann’s Grove United which ended with a huge upset; Determinators prevailing 4-3 on penalty kicks following a 0-0 regulation and extra time stalemate.
Many fans felt that the second semi-final between Grove and Victoria was a final in many ways as the two sides battled using the preverbal term – tooth and nail. Having kept a clean slate as regards goals against, the Kings would have been under pressure to maintain that record against a side that have proved their offensive exploits.
With just eight minutes into the match, the Kings conceded their first goal of the tournament when Dexter Archer scored a well put together goal as Grove Hi Tech cantered into the lead. The Kings though, has been a side to never lie back and allow any opposition to dictate to them.
They went on a successful period of domination and exactly eight minutes after conceding, equalised from a cross into the box from the right side that was clinically drilled past goalkeeper Michael Matthews in the 16th minute.
The game was now tied at 1 and well and truly on. The fans, out in their numbers to support from the villages along the East Coast corridor and East Bank among other areas, were being treated to some exciting ball play from both teams but it was the home team who enjoyed the better of the exchanges.
Grove Hi Tech seemed unable to counter the flank plays from Kings, with crossed balls into the area posing all sorts of challenges for Grove. The Kings did not help their cause, however, as on the stroke of halftime, Shawn Samuel was red-carded for violent conduct towards a Grove player, Alex Sinclair whom he punched in an off the ball incident.
The referee would have none of that and with help from the assistant referee had no choice but to issue marching orders to Samuel. As a matter of fact, the initial card was issued to the wrong player and had to be rescinded and issued to the real player at fault. The decision did not go down too well with players and fans.
Grove were now enjoying the advantage in terms of players on the field but the ensuing second half saw the Kings play out of their skins as they enjoyed good periods of domination. The one-player advantage by Grove was not even evident.
Such was Kings’ resilience that they pushed the game into extra time as Grove could not find the go-ahead goal while looking susceptible at times. But the defending champions held their nerves and in the dying stages of extra time were able to put the game away.
Romel Matthews found the go-ahead goal in the 103rd minute, the second period of extra time and the Kings’ concentration which was being severely tested, finally began to wane.
Poor work by their custodian, who went after the ball before realising that he was out of his area, and subsequently poor covering work by the defenders allowed Matthews to latch on to the ball and finish for the side’s second goal.
It was exactly what the doctor ordered to restore some energy to the legs of the Grove players. The pressure was turned up and in an effort to clear the ball away from another offensive manoeuvre from Grove, Kings scored against themselves in the 105th minute.
Reuben Morris’ attempted clearance was sliced over the head of goalie Rawn Collins and eased into the back of the net, agonisingly sealing the fate of Victoria Kings and leading Grove Hi Tech into the final on New Year’s Night, January 1, 2016.
Mahaica Determinators played the game of their lives to keep the score 0-0 against Ann’s Grove after regulation and extra time. Mahaica started their kicks disastrously before getting back on track as the experienced Ann’s Grove lost focus and subsequently, the target, missing their third and fourth kicks.
Mahaica prevailed 4-3 from the spot and were admirably led by their captain Shameer Nazir, who also scored from the spot to set up a date with Grove Hi Tech in tomorrow’s final at the Golden Grove ground from 21:00hrs. Ann’s Grove and Victoria Kings will face off in the third place game from 19:00hrs.