Digicel Schools Football Championship Mahaicony edge host Belladrum following intense battle
Jun 15, 2017 , http://www.kaieteurnewsonline....wing-intense-battle/
The community of Belladrum, West Coast Berbice came out in their numbers to welcome the Digicel Schools Football Championship to their venue for the first time in the seven-year history of the competition, but left dejected after Belladrum Secondary fell 1-2 to the visiting Mahaicony Secondary yesterday afternoon.
It was not the first time and wouldn’t be the last that a team which have dominated proceedings did not win as was the case yesterday despite the constant cheering on by the home supporters.
The match kicked off with both teams showing some ring rust but as the match matured; they both got into their stride.
Belladrum made a few enterprising runs but lacked the requisite resolve to make the chances created count. The diminutive presence of the burly Oinyi Hytmiah in goal for Mahaicony also played its role in keeping the home team at bay.
Hytmiah’s opposite number, Emoil Byass was also excellent in goal for Belladrum but ended up on the losing end like they did last year. It was Mahaicony which took the lead in the 30th minute and this was so due to a handled ball in the area from a Belladrum player.
The ensuring penalty kick was drilled into the back of the nets by Nebert Sears as the elated boys from Mahaicony celebrated their good fortune.
The lead by the visiting team would stand until the 75th minute when, like the visitors, the home team were gifted a penalty in similar circumstances to the first one awarded. This opportunity was created owing to relentless offensive work from the home side.
Ntini Bobb was given the opportunity to take the spot kick and did not disappoint himself, teammates or the sizable crowd of supporters as they erupted in applause for the long overdue equaliser.
It was exactly what the doctor had ordered for the Belladrum side, but even as they continued to dominate proceedings, Mahaicony quietly made a few counterattacking runs of their own whenever they could have.
With time ticking away and the tension rising, out of the blues, Byass had a lapse in concentration as he advanced recklessly which allowed an opening for Mahaicony to tap in the go ahead goal and that was exactly what transpired when Duquand Gomes tapped the ball into an open goal with Byass out of position in the 90+1 minute. It was a costly lapse for the home team and spoilt an otherwise excellent display of goalkeeping from Byass. (Franklin Wilson)
