Eagles edge out arch-rivals Net Rockers to secure top honours

UDFA/GT Beer Football Championship…

It was a fitting finale and one that confirmed Eagles United of Christianburg as the top Linden club as they turned back Net Rockers by a 2-1 scoreline to add the Upper Demerara Football Association’s GT Beer football championship to their UDFA league title for 2018 as a huge crowd witnessed the final of the year-ending championship New Year’s night at the Mackenzie Sports Club Ground.
Urged on by a strong Christianburg following, the Eagles United landed their first year-end championship since copping the Kashif and Shanghai title in 1991/92 as the eventual final’s Most Valuable Player Colwyn Drakes carted off the motorcycle

prize after taking them to their first GT Beer crown in six tries.
The win gave them $1.2 million as opposed to the $600,000 won by Net Rockers, and laid to rest speculation about who was the club to beat in the region.
Both clubs had played unbeaten in the GTT League championship and drew their game against each other. This then set the stage for a deciding final’s game and Eagles prevailed in overtime.
They were led by defender Benny Neblett and with the decision taken to have the experienced midfield player Clive DeNobrega appear on the pitch despite some concerns about an injury, the Eagles United showed their eagerness to win the game. Both sides battled valiantly, but were unable to score in regulation play.
It took extra time after a 0-0 deadlock to separate the two clubs, and Drakes started the process when he was there to pounce on a chance as Net Rockers defenders were caught napping and Drakes latched in to slap home a crisp drive for a 1-0 advantage in the 103rd minute. Then Drakes in tandem with the busy Deon Charter put the Christianburg unit up 2-0 as he slipped a pass to Charter who finished the play in the 116th minute.
And as time seemed to be against them, Net Rockers fought back and were

rewarded two minutes later. Deshawn Joseph would cannon a free kick outside the box and it cut the lead to 2-1, but time would not allow them a chance to level and when the final whistle came Eagles United were holding the championship trophy donated by Trophy Stall.
Captain Benny Neblett received it from UDFA Secretary Dawn Barker while the brand new motorcycle was taken by Drakes.
In the third-place playoff game for $400,000, Haynes and Lewis Winners Connection won 2-1 against the defending champions Botofago in overtime. The scores were level after regulation play with Shaquille France and Stanford Bovell scoring for the Winners Connection in the 4th and 65th minutes of play which the Haynes brothers Shane and Jamal netted in the 47th and 54th minutes of play respectively. Botofago had to settle for fourth place and a prize of $200,000.
The winning goal would then be scored by Cedric Hunte in the 106th minute of play and the final score was 2-1 for Winners Connection.
The presentation will be done by the main sponsors Banks DIH Limited at a date to be announced, according to the UDFA.