… Fruta Conquerors humiliate Sunburst Camptown for third place
SHAWN `Fatso’ Bishop struck a brace in the second half to further emphasise reigning Kashif and Shanghai champions Alpha ‘The Hammer’ United’s stranglehold on local football when they defeated Santos Football Club 3-0 to take the 4th Annual NAMILCO Football Festival title at the Tucville ground on Friday night. In the battle for third place, home team Fruta Conquerors, who were led by double strikes from Vernon Mills and Dwayne Lawrence, humiliated Sunburst Camptown 6-0 in a one-sided affair, while  Fruta Conquerors Under-15 side defeated their counterparts from Santos in an exhibition matchup.
The Alpha/Santos fixture started at a fast pace, with both teams looking for the opening, but it was Alpha who signalled their intentions first, when Bishop, who was later named the Most Valuable Player (MVP), sent a shot over Santos’ uprights within the first five minutes of the match.
Fittingly, Bishop initiated the first goal scored by Anthony ‘Awo’ Abrams, when he sent a through ball to Dwight Peters, who found an unmarked Abrams at the top of the box and, even though he shot first time, Santos’ custodian O’Neil Heywood was equal to the task, pulling off an acrobatic save, but unfortunately the rebound landed at Abrams’ feet and the striker made no mistake second time around.
The goal brought Alpha to life as they made numerous raids on their opponents’ goal area, leaving spectators including officials of the numerous sponsors of the tournament pondering what the margin of victory would be at the end of 90 minutes.
Peters missed a ‘golden’ opportunity after both himself and Abrams flew Santos’ half side trap that was set by their defence led by Jermaine Fraser and included Linden Pickett, Lennox Arthur and Patrice Graham.
Abrams looked to return the favour when he sent a cross to Peters, with the ball beating an advancing Heywood, but for reasons unknown, Peters looked to trap the ball under his feet instead of placing it into an open goal, much to the dismay of his teammates on and off the field of play.
Shem Arthur tried to acquire the equaliser for his team, but his shot was a weak one which did not create many problems for Alpha’s national custodian Ronson Williams who had an easy night between the uprights for his team.
At the other end of the field, it was Heywood who had a busy day at the office as he was called upon to pull off save after save to keep his team in the reckoning, as their defence failed to stop the rampaging red-and-black-clad national football champions.
Despite creating numerous chances, Alpha, whose head coach Wayne Dover, shook his head many times in disbelief, failed to convert same, with both Abrams and Peters being the chief culprits in succession.
The second half was no different from the first and it showed clearly that Santos were missing the services of Glenorvan Edmonds who could not don the black and white outfit for his club, since he was red-carded in their semifinal win against the Sunburst Camptown.
His absence left a huge hole in the midfield, one that was exploited by Alpha, who reverted to the flanks to continue their penetration when Santos’ wingers moved to plug the gap in the midfield.
Howard Lowe left the defence for a corner taken by Peters, one of six won by Alpha in a 10-minute period, which demonstrated their superiority over their opponents, but his header struck the uprights and headed out of play for a goal kick.
After witnessing Heywood effect an easy save from his teammate Leon Grumble, Bishop, who went into the game as the joint leading goalscorer with his teammate Shevaughn Seaforth with five goals, made it number six when he caught Heywood off his line in the 61st minute.
Not much celebration followed that goal, even though it knocked the winds out of Santos’ sail, as their heads dropped while their ego remained in place. When Bishop drilled a low powerful shot after executing the old one-two with Abrams in the 90th minute, Alpha were well on their way to claiming the $500 000 first prize that was at stake in the tournament.
In the battle for third place, the sun had set on Sunburst Camptown, who looked out of sync from the team which finished third in the recently concluded 21st edition of the Kashif and Shanghai tournament, as a youthful Fruta Conquerors lineup made rings around them.
Mills scored the first of his two goals in the 14th minute, while Lawrence also got his first on the stroke of halftime, which saw their team take a 2-0 lead.
On the resumption of play, Pernell Shultz who along with Alpha’s Kris Camacho won the Global Technology Computer Scholarship Awards after being adjudged the best two young players of the tournament scored a penalty following an infringement in the box in the 47th minute.
Lawrence added his second, four minutes later, and when Mills scored his second in the 62nd minute, it was all over bar the shouting for Sunburst Camptown who had little or no answer for their rampaging opponents.
Fruta Conquerors’ first match hero Tavis Hackett replaced Mills after he got his second goal and missed an opportunity to place his name on the score sheet when presented with a penalty that was saved by Camptown’s makeshift custodian, before Keifa Adams sealed the $100 000 third prize for his team, with his 90th minute strike.
Managing Director of NAMILCO, Bert Sukhai, along with some of his members of staff, was on hand to witness the night’s action and assist with the distribution of prizes to the various winners at the end of the final match.
Bishop received two trophies representing the Highest Goalscorer and MVP prizes, Williams a trophy and cell phone with $5 000 credit compliments of Bayridge Taxi Service for the Best Goalkeeper of the tournament which saw 48 goals scored.
Santos received $200 000 and a trophy for their second place finish, while Sunburst Camptown walked away with $50 000 and a trophy for their fourth place finish behind Fruta Conquerors who pocketed $100 000.
The management of Fruta Conquerors would like to express their heartfelt thanks to 2J’s General Store, Junior’s Jewellery, Bayridge Taxi Service, Global Technology, Banks DIH, Oasis Water Company, Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T) and NAMILCO for their undying support once again.