The annual Woodpecker Products Women’s First Division League came to a close at the weekend at the GCC ground, Bourda, with the predictable result of host club GBTI GCC hoisting the trophy for 2019.
The GBTI ladies, considered pre-tournament favourites, played their final match against the Bingo Spartans on a sunny Saturday afternoon on a well-manicured Bourda field. The stage was set for good hockey and the GBTI ladies used it to full advantage.
With GBTI pressing from the outset, it took them only five minutes to get on the scoresheet through Carina Moller. After a fine first shot save by Jessica Mittleholzer, Moller pounced on the rebound and rattled the tin in the back of goal for their opener.
Striker Gabriella Xavier, who had been making several threatening runs down the left wing, found the back of the Spartans net for the second goal of the match 15 minutes later to make the halftime score 2-0 for GBTI.
Although Shebiki Baptiste scored her team’s third goal in the first minute of resumption, the second half saw a better fight from the Spartans strikers. Midfielder Sarah Klautky made several heroic runs from deep in midfield only to be thwarted just before her shot at goal by the experienced GBTI defense.
Mickelly Rahaman and Makeda Harding bravely led the busy central defense of the Spartans, but Sandy Roopnarine and Moller with her second, managed two more to leave the final score at 5-0 for GBTI.
Marzana Fiedtkou of GBTI GCC was selected as the Most Valuable Player of the tournament, while teammates Sonia Jardine and Carina Moller were joint-top scorers.
