By Joe Chapman

HI STARS beat Blueberry Hill 3-2, while Silver Shattas remained unbeaten with a 2-0 victory over Net Rockers when the Upper Demerara Football Association’s (UDFA)/GT Beer 4th annual Christmas football championship continued at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground on Sunday night.The win by Hi Stars came after they had taken a 2-0 advantage in the first half of play through their reliable striker Tony ‘Spirit’ Adams who netted their first goal in the 37th minute.
This was developed after a cross from the left flank saw a free ball that was pounced on by Adams who slammed home to score.
This was followed when Michael Peters came through the left side into the middle before hitting past Blueberry Hill custodian Dillon Hopkinson in the 44th minute.
But the Blueberry Hill side recovered and reduced the deficit by one after Oral Peters slot home his team’s first reply one minute after play resumed, in the 46th minute, and within an hour’s play in the 59th minute it was 2-2 as Blueberry Hill’s Rondell Arthur scored.
This made the game very interesting and it took the deciding goal in the 69th minute from Kwesi Martin, who collected a square ball from the left side, and headed it past the out of position Hopkinson, for a 3-2 score, which was the eventual score in this game.
The second game of the night was one where neither side dominated on the wet outfield but Silver Shattas, through strikes on either side of play, registered by forward Colwyn Drakes in the 23rd and 88th minutes, saw them home against Net Rockers.
Tonight, Botofago play champions Federal Winners Connection in the first game at 18:00hrs and the second pits Kwakwani Strikers against Eagles United, in two interesting matches in the two group preliminary rounds to decide the final four going through to the semifinals.