Following their surprise win over Tucber Park in the final of the recent New Amsterdam Town Day football tournament, Stanleytown made a statement in the opening game of the Christmas 8-a-side inter-ward tournament on Friday evening beating Rose Hall 8-0.
Part of the action between Vrymens Erven and East Bank Gunners
In the opening game of the knockout tournament at the All Saints Ground on Princess Elizabeth Road, New Amsterdam, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), Stanleytown, led by a hat-trick from Devon Jones, dominated the game, as Rose Hall squandered several chances. Jones scored in the 10th, 19th and 47th minutes of play and received excellent support from Horace Roach, who scored in the 49th minute.
The others to register their names on the lopsided scorecard were Sherwin Ali, Rodger Crandon Winston Benjamin and Goalkeeper Edmar Semple, who scored from the penalty spot in the 49th minute.
The winning Stanleytown team
The game was refereed by FIFA referee Colin Bowery, who had a miraculous recovery after an accident in July on his way home after officiating in a Digicel school football match left him in a coma for close to two weeks.
The Stanleytown-Rose Hall game was the first for the young referee since the accident.
Meanwhile, Vrymens Erven made light work of East Bank Gunners in match two of the double header.
Jamal Joseph opened the scoring in the 11th minute and made it 2-nil four minutes later. Devon Boucher then found the back of the net in the 26th minute to give the Gunners their first goal.
Ten minutes later, Boucher registered his second goal as the tempo of the game picked up, forcing Joseph to rely on the shooting of some of his teammates.
Sherwin McKenzie (40th minute) and Stephan Hinds (48th minute) sealed the issue to send Vrymens Erven into the second round.
The other teams in the competition are Manchester and East Canje.
The tournament will be played on Friday evenings.
However, there will be no play this Friday, because several officials are expected to be with school teams for the Guyana Teachers Union National Schools Track and Field Championships. (Andrew Carmichael)
