Jermine & Family Linden Mash Cup Football Tournament…
-The Bakewell Topp XX Team will have to be at their very best when they face Coomacka Mines in the grand final of the inaugural Jermine and Family Linden Mash Cup Football Tournament, to be played tonight at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground.
Up for grabs is the substantial sum of $600,000 and bragging rights, along with a trophy; and for that reward, neither team would be willing to concede defeat,
especially since this match is considered a virtual replay of the Upper Demerara Football Association’s (UDFA’s) Christmas tournament in which Topp XX gained the edge over Coomacka Mines by two goals to one.
Coomacka Mines certainly feel they can capture their first ever major football title in the mining town, literal haven of the Bakewell Topp XX. Their coach, Korak Bobb-Semple, is very confident that, with the return of forward Lionel Peters and defense player Kursten Thom, the team can pull off this win despite a few niggling injuries being suffered by other members. Bobb-Semple’s confidence was expressed in his saying that it would be an easy win for Coomacka, since his side usually play to their true potential, although he considers the semifinal win over Botafogo — by a 7-6 penalty shootout — their worst game to date.
Coomacka’s brilliant goalkeeper Kellon Major had played a big hand in that win: by thwarting a penalty shot during regulation play against a running Botafogo side; pulling off three saves, and scoring in the sudden death penalty shootout.
However, the Topp XX coach, Troy ‘Boy Blue’ Nelson, is a man who knows about winning, as he was there when that side dominated play not only in Upper Demerara, but also at the national level.
Nelson has said his team had emerged successful against a determined Haynes and Lewis Winners Connection (H&LWC) when the young players of Coomacka were trying to prove themselves after the team had just suffered the loss of two key players up front in Marmalaque Davidson and Shaquille Frank.
He said team members are now in training, as they were granted some time to use the Mackenzie Sports Club ground.
Thus he scoffed at the fact that Linden champions Eagles United are not in this tournament, and were also absent in the year-end championships; but he has predicted that, by the end of this year, regardless of which team is in or out of any tournament, his team will be the force to be reckoned with in Linden and in national football.
He has reminded that he gave praise to God for what his team has achieved thus far, and he has predicted that once they remain committed to training, they will prove that this is their year.
Nelson opined that Topp XX will be the team to beat, not only in Linden, but at the national level, as the team is a united one and the players have shown him great respect, which augurs well for this new breed of players.
Nelson has therefore predicted that Coomacka will be soundly beaten in tonight’s match.
Topp XX forward Keon Hall had scored the lone goal in the semifinal match in which the team qualified to play in the final. That goal came from a shot on top of the penalty area taken in the 85th minute. Both sides had played tough football, but Topp XX’s experience had proved decisive.
While the winner’s purse in this grand final is $600,000, the loser would get $300,000, while the third and fourth- placed teams would respectively get $200,000 and $100,000. The game to decide third and fourth positions is set for play at 19:00hrs, and the contestants are Winners Connection and Botafogo.
There are other individual prizes that would be awarded: for the most goals scored; the person adjudged best goalkeeper; the youngest player in the tournament, and the person adjudged most valuable player in the tournament, among others.
