Botofago crush Net Rockers 4-1 in New Year’s Day final
By Joe Chapman
STUNNING double strikes by Donovan Francis and Shane Haynes helped Botofago crush Net Rockers 4-1 to lift the Upper Demerara Football Association’s (UDFA) GT Beer yearend football championship.
With the win, Botofago carted off $1.2M, the bragging rights and a trophy, all on the first day of the year leaving Net Rockers with $600 000.
The final saw Net Rockers start well, threatening as early as the 4th minute. A headed conversion from a corner called to action the Botofago keeper Wayne Wilson.
Two minutes later the Rockers again looked positive but the Botofago custodian came out bravely to quell the anxiety of the large crowd on hand.
By then the concentration was in the middle by the Rockers where Botofago had much to do to keep out the offensive forays which were being created.
In the 10th minute, however, it was Botofago who got first on the score sheet when forward Donovan Francis, later named the Most Valuable Player, found the back of the net.
He outran his marker before darting inside the box, where he dribbled two defenders before placing the shot to the far post away from the flailing hands of the Rockers goalkeeper, Ryan Rose, for that 1-0 advantage.
As the goal rocked the back of the net, the Rockers were unable to organise themselves.
Within two minutes of the opener, the Botofago side were again on the score sheet, this time through a Shane Haynes goal which came off a cross from his brother Jamal.
In the 15th minute the Rockers goalkeeper Rose made a good save from a shot from outside the 18-yard box after a free kick was won by Botofago.
By now the Rockers right winger Clarence Huggins was trying his desperate best to harass the Botofago left wing-back constantly, but a number of his crosses were not met by his fellow strikers
At one time, as Huggins made his way down the right wing he was confronted by a triangle of defenders which made it difficult for him to get off a shot.
Huggins, however, got a cross to Orande Wills in the 32nd minute, only to see Wills’ shot fly over the crossbar. He then created space for Denzil Pryce to slip through in the centre, with Pryce making good of the chance and the half ending 2-0
After play resumed Net Rockers had two early chances which they could not put away.
However, Botofago would increase their lead through Francis, this time a cross from the left by Jamal Haynes as the Rockers goalkeeper could not grab in the middle.
Rose was caught on top the penalty area when Francis slapped past him into an open goal for a 3-0 lead in the 61st minute.
Three minutes adrift, another play down the left flank would see the Rockers goalkeeper bring off a nice save.
Net Rockers again pressed for their second goal by the 69th minute as they attacked from inside left, only to see a good clearance from the defence.
Shane Haynes scored the team’s fourth to complete the rout while Shane Luckie scored a consolation goal for Rockers in the 78th minute.
The third-place playoff game saw Eagles United win by a 2-1 margin over Silver Shattas thanks to a brace by Kendolph Lewis in the 60th and 90+1 minutes.
Eagles can now soar with their $300 000 third-place win after producing that come-from-behind victory in which Shattas Dexter Garraway opened the game’s scoring in the 6th minute.
Botofago’s Francis won for himself as MVP a motorbike which was donated by Mayor of Linden Carwyn Holland. Other individual prizes won were the Best Goalkeeper by Botofago’s Dwayne Wilson and Best Defender Floyd Headley also of Botofago.
