Vincy Masters pouch Over 35s football title

Computec Vincy Masters were last Sunday night, at the Victoria Park, crowned as the 2016/2017 National Lotteries Authority SVG Masters Over 35’s football champions.

Vincy Masters’ win came via 3-2 triumphs from kicks from the penalty spot against Calliaqua. The two had played to a 1-1 tie in normal time.

Former national player Kenlyn Gonsalves registered a first half goal for Vincy Masters, after which another former national player, Lawrence Franklyn, equalized for Calliaqua in the closing moments of the match.

Also in regulation time, both teams had opportunities to better their tally, as they muffed on their penalty kicks.

Wesley Charles and Reginald Payne, both former national players, were the guilty ones for Vincy Masters and Calliaqua, respectively.

Preceding the final, Sion Hill stayed in the third place with a 7-6 win over Expendables in kicks from the penalty spot, after the two had played to a stalemate.

For winning the competition, Vincy Masters pocketed $3,000, Calliaqua earned $2,000 and Sion Hill got $1,000.

All three teams also got trophies and medals.

In awards presented, Gosnel Cupid, a former national footballer and cricketer, was adjudged the competition’s best goalkeeper and Lawrence Joseph of Layou copped the award for most goals with his eight successful strikes.

Also presented were the most valuable players of most of the competing teams.

Taking the award for the champion team was Dexter Walker, while Gosnel Cupid accepted for Calliaqua.

Other recipients were Anthony Carrington – Sion Hill; Caswin Mason – Expendables, Marlon James – Bequia, Marley Lewis – RSVG Police; Tyrone Prince – SESCO, Caswin Mason – Expendables, Lawrence Joseph – Layou, Saville Hope – Murray’s Village, Fabian Guerra – Vintage Gold, as well as Randy De Freitas of Royal Roots.

Two other teams, the 2015 winners, South Leeward and North East, also participated in the competition; however, no awardees were announced.

At the closing ceremony, chair of the SVG Over 35s Masters committee Glenroy “Sulle” Caesar did not mince his words in lamenting some of the emerging concerns of the competition, namely ill-discipline and harsh tackles.

“One of our primary aims when it comes to Masters football is that we have to set an example to the other generations… Leh we show the youths dem how to play, but most significantly we have to instil a kind of discipline on our players that we see (which is) creeping in …Please let us take the opportunity to really enjoy ourselves as masters”, Caesar appealed.