New Era Entertainment Mohamed’s Enterprise Cell Smart Futsal Tournament…
― Good Fellers, Silvertown advance
The latest round of the 3rd annual New Era Entertainment Mohamed’s Enterprise Cell Smart futsal tournament decided the final eight for the quarter final stage with three pulsating matches at the McKenzie Sport’s Club hard court, Linden on Saturday.
Hometown boys, Hustlers who are sponsored by Dave and Celena Variety and Furniture Store sent the Ballers packing all the way back to region three when they snatched a 4-3 victory in the most entertaining 40 minute contest of the tournament.
Hustlers seemed to begin the game on the wrong foot as Marlon Josiah rocked the back of the net inside six minutes of play (6’) but the celebrations were short lived as skill sensation Jermain “Brown boy” Scotland once again led from the front and replied within four minutes to level the game and once more in the 12’. Josiah caught the goalkeeper lapsing and penetrated the goal in the 18’ to seal the first half with the scores leveled.
The match looked like it would be threatened by rain as the weather produced slight sprinkles, chasing the crowd to take cover while the nail biting game continued as the rains came down.
Deon Charter scored in the 26’ while Josiah scored his hat trick in the same minute to have the game neck and neck with just 14 minutes left on the clock.
The crowd was dead silent as everyone sat on the edge of their seats as the possibility exists that their home team could be eliminated before the quarterfinals but the jubilance of the hundreds of spectators jam packed into the MSC hard court burst into celebrations as Anthony Sancho netted in the 32nd minute to seal the deal and book their spot in the quarter finals next week.
Fans were heard mentioning that they were particularly surprised with the way Brown Boy bundled his troops to have them believe that they could beat the team who were favourites to win the overall competition and proud to have Hustlers win in front of their home crowd.
Hustler’s Deon “Crab” Charter works his way through the defence of West Side Ballers
In the second game of the night, crowd pleasers, Good Fellers decimated another team in the competition, this time disposing of Coomacka United out of the tournament in a 9-4 thumping.
Good Fellers were lead brilliantly by five goals from Deshawn Jospeh (9’, 11’, 19’, 22’, and 25’) who is in contention for the most goal of the tournament but it was the skill of 2015’s tournament Most Valuable Player (MVP), Clarence “Shark” Huggins who started the proceeding with a goal in the 7’ and assisted Joseph in penetrating the defensive line of Coomacka United. Huggins scored his second of the night in emphatic fashion just three minutes after Jospeh’s second goal.
The Daw brothers, Derwin and Kevin who starred in their previous encounter could not cushion the blow as Coomacka leaked goals.
Meanwhile Silvertown All-Stars pitched Ballers out of the tournament with a 5-1 smashing. Silvertown was once again led by Allan Reece, who scored four goals in one minute, the last time this team played in the tournament and hammered three goals past Ballers goalkeeper while Marlon Bishop and Akil Moore contributed one goal each.
The first prize is $400,000 along with trophies and replicas, up by $100,000 from last year. The second placed team will claim $150,000 and trophy, third $75,000 and trophy and fourth place will collect a trophy. Other prizes are on offer for the MVP, Best goalkeeper, most goals and Best young player.
The competition continues December 17, 23 and 26 with the grand finale. The organisers are promising an exciting and entertaining tournament with side attractions and are encouraging all to come out and support as the team put their best on the court to claim the prize money on offer.
