Judging from the last of the preliminary matches played on Friday evening, the finals of the GTT National Indoor Hockey championships are sure to be thrilling.
Old Fort Lamborghini handed Bounty GCC their second heart-breaking loss in as many matches with their winning goal on the buzzer in Friday evening’s men’s first division hockey match of the GTT National Indoor Hockey Championships. The win all but guarantees Old Fort a top two spot in the pool and a semi-final berth.
PEPSI Hikers retain their position as favourites in the men’s first division, however, by destroying the challenge of Supernova with an 11-2 response. In the women’s first division tie, the Woodpecker Hikers dispatched Old Fort 2.1.2 by 3-0 to secure their semi-final spot. Old Fort Mustangs got the better of Antonio’s Hickers once again in the over-35 division, while second division powerhouses Old Fort Top Form and the GCC Pitbulls confirmed their positions at the top of each pool with wins over Phoenix and Old Fort Rogue respectively.
An Omar Hopkinson goal just four minutes into the match involving Old Fort Lamborghinis and Bounty GCC rocked the Bourda boys onto their back foot as the Lamborghinis raced to an early lead. GCC was down but not out, however, and managed to draw even through a Kareem McKenzie direct penalty corner shot to take the score into half time at 1-1.
The second half saw the teams trade shots and split a pair of penalty corners to take the match to 2-2 entering the final match of play. Jason DeSantos’s high and accurate penalty corner flick for Old Fort in the 24th minute was matched by a low, hard Dwayne Scott shot in the 33rd minute.
With the clock winding down on what seemed like a certain draw, DeSantos pounced on a loose ball from a GCC defensive fumble and fed the ball into the GCC goal literally in the final second of play.
The jubilant Old Fort set themselves up to challenge the unbeaten PEPSI Hikers for the top spot in the pool as a result of their victory.
The PEPSI Hikers, meanwhile, crushed the feeble challenge of Supernova by 11-2 in a match that never seemed to trouble the seasoned favourites.
The highly anticipated women’s first division matchup proved that the Old Fort 2.1.2 was not quite ready to upset the Woodpecker Hikers, as the latter eased to a 3-0 victory. National striker Nicole Eastman scored twice for the Hikers, while teammate Maria Munroe added a single.
The PEPSI Hikers lead the men’s first division table with 9, Old Fort Lamborghini are in second with 6, while Bounty GCC and Saints are in a tie for third spot on 3 points each. GBTI GCC Ladies are in the top spot of the women’s first division table on 9 points, with Old Fort 2.1.2 and the Bingo Spartans following with 3 points each. Saints are yet to secure points.
In the two-pool men’s second division competition, Old Fort Top Form lead Pool A with 6 points while GCC Pitbulls lead pool B with 6. GBTI GCC Spice lead the second division table with 9 points, followed by Bingo GCC Spartans on 7, Woodpecker Hikers on 4, and Saints with 3. Old Fort Goal Chasers remain without points.
The final matches of the 2018 GTT Indoor Hockey Championships will bully off today at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.
