GFF Super-16 year end Classic…GDF beat Grove Hi-Tech 2-0 to win inaugural Championship; Conquerors third

Jan 03, 2018 Sports, https://www.kaieteurnewsonline...ip-conquerors-third/

By Calvin Chapman
The final of the Guyana Football Federation’s (GFF) first Super-16 year end football tournament involving the country’s 10 first division clubs along with the five best second division teams and an indigenous all-star team, ended with the national champions, Guyana Defence Force (GDF) ending Grove Hi-Tech’s rampaging run with a gritty 2-0 win over the East Bank based club in the final on New Year’s Day.

The grand finale of the tournament was held at the Leonora Track and Field facility football pitch and was witnessed by a surprisingly fair amount of supporters who were majorly backing the East Bank FA team, Grove Hi-Tech that had surprisingly emerged from the proverbial “group of death” in the tournament. Meanwhile, GDF who were the team to beat from the inception of the tournament came out almost unscathed from the second of the two groups which the knockout tournament was contested in.
Although both goals of the game weren’t scored until the second half of the match, the scores of fans present had much to cheer for during the first half with both teams creating golden opportunities but failing to score. All the pressure was on GDF, the GFF’s Elite league reigning champions but they handled it well. They also handled the attacking threat of Hi-Tech’s Denzel Crawford who constantly weaved his way past defenders on the left flank before delivering dangerous balls into the box. Despite the likes of national players Kelsey Benjamin, Curtez Kellman and skipper, former national forward, Domini Garnett, Crawford turned in the best performance for the losers on New Year’s night.
GDF played more possession-based football and regularly had Grove’s target-man Kelsey Benjamin scampering behind their centre and full backs trying to get possession. Hi-Tech had an interesting 4-3-3 formation when attacking and a 4-5-1 shape, while defending, which left the diminutive but quick Benjamin alone upfront, while not in possession.
Already being the fitter of the two clubs, GDF made Grove tire even more when in possession by stringing together passes and before Eusi Phillips scored a penalty following a handball in the 58th for the eventual champions, the losers were already beginning to look haggard with sluggish movements, especially in the midfield.
Nine minutes after Phillips netted, Hi-Tech’s Delroy Dodson was sent off by referee Gladwyn Johnson for unsportsmanlike conduct in protesting an apparent cynical tackle by an opposing player, which he (Dodson) believed should’ve been a bookable offence but wasn’t even cited. With a man down, Grove didn’t look the side that achieved a comeback victory against Police FC in the semifinal and the already tired unit had even a heavier workload as GDF ran them-ragged with countless attacking plays that eased into the final third through the menacing pace of Delroy Fraser.

Fraser finally reaped rewards for his dangerous runs when he got behind Grove’s defence, following a handball from a Grove defender which was not cited by the match officials, and slotted past Lloyd Matthews with a calmly taken right-footed finish from the left side of the six yard box, that snuck into the bottom right corner of the goal. This 80th minute strike was celebrated with much fanfare because the GDF team and supporters knew that were the final nail on Grove Hi-Tech’s coffin and the $2 million grand cash prize were practically in their pockets already. Indeed it was, and despite a couple dangerous plays by Grove in the remaining 10 minutes, the score remained 2-0 until full-time. It was a disappointing performance in the final but Grove Hi-Tech’s previous outstanding showing in the tournament earned them at least the $1million second place purse.
In the opening match of the double-header, the third place playoff, favourites Fruta Conquerors disposed of Milerock 3-1 to finish the tournament with $500,000, while the losers will receive $250,000. Jermine Junior, the most lethal in front goal this tournament, scored a brace for Conquerors, while his teammate, Ryan Hackett was responsible for the game’s opening goal. Kester Randolph scored the only goal for the losers, a consolation two minutes from stoppage time.

Grove Hi-Tech’s Denzel Crawford (right) darts towards the box after dribbling past two GDF defenders.