The two Masters teams, Guyana 40s and 50 Not Out, both featuring players preparing for next year’s Masters Indoor Hockey World Cup, squared off on Friday evening in the ExxonMobil National Indoor Hockey Championships.
Huge bragging rights were at stake in addition to a semi-final berth in the Men’s First Division competition.
Former national captain Devin Munroe set the tone of the match from the opening minute that the Guyana 40s meant business when he caught the 50s defence unsettled and slammed home the first goal of the match in the opening minute.
50s captain Philip Fernandes drew the game level two minutes later via a penalty corner strike that whizzed past the left ear of former national goalkeeper Tony Cole.
The superior pace of the younger Guyana 40s side coupled with a solid defensive performance by Robert Fernandes and Dwayne Scott took a toll on 50 Not Out and despite heroic goalkeeping by Alisa Xavier, Munroe would add a second and Chris Low-Koan and Devin Hooper one each before the half to give the Guyana 40s a 4-1 lead.
Munroe would secure his hat-trick in the second half, Brian Asregado added one with a diving finish and John Abrams rounded of the victorious seven-goal haul for the 40s. 50 Not Out gave it a genuine effort with two second half goals by Damon Woodroffe and Dexter Wyles, leaving the final score as 7-3 for the Guyana 40s.
Bounty GCC made light work of YMCA Old Fort in the other Men’s First Division clash, winning 6-0. The Sargeant brothers, Mark with three and Meshach two, were top scorers with Kevin Spencer’s opener completing the six-goal count.
The Misfits had their best game of the tournament thus far and held the favoured GCC Spartans to a tied score for most of the first half, which arrived with the scores levelled at 1-1.
The Spartans duo, Marzana Fiedtkou and Gabriella Xavier, proved too much for the Misfits however, as they both scored doubles to pull ahead in the second half. Seasoned former national Maria Munroe herself would produce a pair of goals from penalty corners that resulted in a 4-2 win for the Spartans.
Saints executed their game plan with precision as they defeated GCC Ignite 3-1. Kezia Chinian, national player Clayza Bobb and Charlyn Elliott each scored for Saints, while captain Aliyah Gordon managed the lone GCC goal.
In the Men’s Second Division competition, the Hikers Cadets cruised to a 9-1 victory over the youngest side in the competition, the GCC War Dogs, while YMCA drew 2-2 with the GCC Pitbulls.
The finals are set for Sunday, beginning at 15:00h.
