Saturday, November 25, 2006

GCC BOURDA, Guyana: Guyana opened their Digicel Caribbean Cup second round campaign with a convincing win over Antigua and Barbuda in front of a 5,000 strong home crowd.

In fact, the large home crowd only had to wait 3 minutes for the opener when Leslie Holligan’s right wing run and cross was met perfectly first time on the volley by the inrushing Gregory Richardson to send the home supporters into a frenzy.

Things only got better for Guyana as they chased every ball relentlessly and passed through Antigua like a hot knife through butter.

This was highlighted perfectly when, on 12 minutes, Richardson had his second of the day when a misplaced defensive header by Dave Carr allowed him to run past the luckless Teon Nathaniel in the Antigua goal and slot home his second.

Richardson became the provider when, on 35 minutes, he coasted past three Antiguan defenders to set up the easiest of tap-ins for strike partner Randolph Jerome to knock the ball into an empty goal from all of 2 yards out.

The game was over as a contest 9 minutes into the second half when, on 54 minutes, Guyana made it 4-0. Jerome would not be outdone by Richardson and after some great work by Kayode McKinnon, Jerome had yet again the easy task of slotting home to claim his brace for the night and equal Richardson’s tally so far.

Guyana were now in cruise mode and Antigua were looking more and more likely to concede goal after goal. The boisterous large home crowd was now in full party swing and demanding more from their team.

Cue DCC round one hero Nigel Coddrington when, on 75 minutes, he scored the goal of the night. After linking well with Richardson on a clever one-two, he cut back across the desperate dive of Antiguan defender Kerry Parker and slotted the ball under the legs of the unfortunate Natahaniel to make it 5 for Guyana

The crowd had barely finished celebrating when Kayode McKinnon got in on the action and, from a near impossible angle after rounding Natahaniel in the Antigua goal, drove a pile driver into the bottom righthand corner of the net.

It was only the referee's whistle that eventually ended Antigua’s misery and when he finally blew for full time, signaling party time in the stands in Guyana, the local heroes emerged 6-0 victors.

This now leaves the hosts perched happily at the top of Group H in the Digicel Caribbean Cup after one day's play in Guyana.

Guyana: Richard Reynolds, Howard Lowe, Walter Moore, Leslie Holligan, Gregory Richardson, Shawn Bishop, Charles Pollard, Shawn Beveney, Kayode Mckinnon, Nigel Coddrington, Randolph Jerome

Antigua and Barbuda: Teon Nathaniel, Dave Carr. Kerry Parker, Damean Farrell, Gason Gregory, Ranja Christian, Lennox Julian, Blair Christian, Peter Byers, George Dublin, Trevor Tonge

  Most popular articles: viewed, printed and e-mailed

  Printable version