Hikers’ men, GCC women explode on opening night

Nov 29, 2013 Sports

Diamond Mineral Water International Indoor Hockey Festival…

Last year’s Men’s champions Hikers sounded an ominous warning to all pretenders to their throne after inflicting a crushing 8-4 triumph over Old Fort as the 2013 Diamond Mineral Water Indoor Hockey Festival opened on Wednesday evening, at the National Gymnasium.

GCC’s Gabriella Xavier (white, blue & orange top) battles for possession against Hikers Latoya Fordyce.

Three-time title holders, the GCC Tigers also looked in menacing form in their 8-2 drubbing of old rivals Hikers in a Ladies matchup, while the GCC vets completed a successful night for the club with a 7-3 victory over Old Old Fort.
On a night that saw top local teams go head-to-head, the powerful Hikers men’s side, boasting the best record in the Festival to date, did not disappoint their voluminous supporters. While Old Fort’s Dwayne Allen was the first to find the back of the net just four minutes into the match, the Hikers Shane Samuels drew his team even by completing a swift overlap up the right side with an accurate finish.
Despite some solid defence from Old Fort led by a fine performance from left back Dwight Sullivan, the Hikers took control of the match with better finishing through one field goal and double penalty corner goals from Jamarj Assanah, a second field goal from Samuels and singles from Devin Munroe and Michael Harding.
Old Fort’s Aderemi Simon managed a second for his side in the first half while his brother Ascofu Simon and Mark Fraser managed one each in the dying minutes, but not enough to deny the defending champions full points.
The GCC Tigers stormed to a 5-1 lead over the Hikers by the end of the first half of their duel. With overlapping left defender Ashley DeGroot producing top quality finishes in completing a first half hat-trick for the Tigers, while teammates Kerensa Fernandes and Gabriella Xavier put the game beyond reach of the Hikers.
Hikers’ right back, Marisha Rodrigues managed a lone penalty corner goal for her team in the first half and Macaela Harding added one more in the second to complete the Hikers tally of two, but GCC stormed through the second half with three more goals to leave the final score at 8-2. Trisha Woodroffe, Ulrica Sutherland and Aliyah Gordon were the GCC scorers in the second half.
National veterans Champions GCC continued their fine form of the recent national indoor championships with a 7-3 beating of Old Old Fort. Current Hockey Board President Phillip Fernandes assumed his

Action in the clash between defending champions Hikers (green uniforms) and Old Fort which the former won easily.

familiar position of top goal-scorer of the match with a helmet-trick (4 goals) to his name while teammate Damon Woodroffe added a hat-trick.
Old Fort’s former national midfielder Ivor Thompson pulled off a hat-trick for his side, but failed to garner enough support to make an impact on the match. The foreign teams were expected to make their first appearance last evening with GCC taking on Fatima of Trinidad, Trinidad Police facing the Hickers, both in the vets division, Hikers versus YMCA of Barbados and Old Fort meeting GCC in the men’s division.
The tournament runs until Sunday December 1st, at the National Gymnasium.