Bandits edge Griga United

Good evening, I?m James Adderley and we?re rolling out another portion of Sports Monday. The Regents Insurance Cup playoffs found two winless ball clubs Saturday night inside the Isidoro Beaton Stadium in week two of the post season as Builders Hardware Bandits played host to Griga United of Dangriga.

Shall we say both ball clubs blasted off to unimpressive starts and it?s punctuated by this error to error combination in both sides of the equation.

The Bandits are the first to overcome their opening jitters when Benavides delivers to Wayne Wiltshire forcing Shane Orio to intervene.

Strangely enough, this momentary lapse by Charlie Slusher is pardoned by Bent Burgess who looks the gift horse in the mouth.

At the other end Wayne Wiltshire attacks off the right side but the right foot push needs, to be righted a little right.

It?s more Bandits when midfielder Denys Benavides fired this grassheed burner with bad intentions.

Meanwhile, Griga United has become the protagonist all of a sudden, but this is their first real attempt at finishing the run, testing Charlie Slusher who?s obviously up for it.

Last year?s M.V.P., Mr. Elroy Kuylen, then fires this left foot that just inches outside the sticks. At half neither team has done enough to deserve a goal.

When the action resumes, Kareem Haylock fires this long-range missile that just inches outside the target.

Dangriga pushes forward again as Bent Burgess splits the defence, but again Haylock fails to deliver the goodies.

Folks, can we just say here that the threshold for this red card from Referee Pelayo may be a bit too high even if Bent Burgess already has a yellow – but Griga is reduced to ten.

This nice run for number eighteen Jacinto Bermudez produces a truly promising opportunity for Griga, but fails to move the scoreboard.

For Griga, their relationship with referee Pelayo takes a downward slide when the referee fails to ticket Dean Flowers for taking down number eighteen Jacinto Bermudez from behind. Instead, it?s Griga Captain Shane Orio getting taped with a yellow card for protesting too loudly.

Less than two minutes later Elroy Kuylen, already with a yellow card, gets booked for this late tackle and now Griga is down to nine players.

And of course, the hue and cry from the south forces the law to extend its long reach on to the field.

When play resumes, Dean Flowers gets a half look at goal but his delay in firing nullifies the occasion and after ninety minutes of action we have no goal to speak of.

So we?re into the first fifteen minutes of overtime and the Bandits could grab the lead on this centre from Flowers but nothing doing.

Now here?s the anatomy of a tragedy ? Budna brutally takes out number eighteen Bermudez. Unfortunately, the retaliation occurs at the other end of the field where Dennis Serrano had been punched in the face. It?s not on camera ? Referee Pelayo, he consults with his linesman, and Griga United is now down to eight as Elroy Smith has been fingered as the offending player.

Just before the first O.T. expires Belmopan gets to steal the W with this back to back press on goal; both attempts failed.

Again, the numerical advantage gives the Bandits the chance to score right here in second overtime, but Derys Benavides is foiled by Shane Orio.

And after thirty minutes of overtime we still don?t have a goal up on the scoreboard, so we?re off to penalty kicks for the decision.

Derys Benavides puts the Bandits ahead immediately. Shane Orio comes up, he ties it for Griga. Edmund ?the Buzzard? Pandy he makes it 2-1 in favour of Belmopan. Harrison Roaches comes up and ties this score for Griga. Oliver Wiltshire squeezes the pill pass Shane Orio for the Belmopan lead. Griga counters with Kareem Haylock and Charlie Slusher makes him a victim of embarrassment and he?s obviously distraught people.

Lincoln Wiltshire gets his turn for the Bandits and he shines. Aaron Nolberto answers in time for Dangriga, so Dangriga still has a chance.

Charlie Slusher then opens the door with this miss, but he?s let off the hook when Henry Gritty launches this high riser that gives Builders Hardware Bandits the big W on penalties and it?s good for one solitary point.

In the other playoff match Saturday night, Sagitun of Independence use the home field advantage to burn Juventus 2-zip. Thus, two weeks into the post season, Sagitun leads with 4 points, Juventus has 3, Bandits 1, and Griga zip so far.

In basketball news, Maria Chang Eagles won the pivotal game seven of the female basketball championship series Friday at Big Bird?s Isle knocking off Sparks 62-50. Shelmadine Cacho prevails over our girl Enid Dakers. Shelmadine Cacho struck for thirty points, ten rebounds, had six steals and three assists. We gotta say congratulations.

Turning to interoffice play at the island, also on Friday, Belize City Council edged Customs Crystal 80-54. Hey weh gaan on with the customs crowd? I guess they were too busy being on the road.

We must also mention that the semi-pro basketball season is scheduled to kick off this Friday at the City Centre but we?ve gotta confess it?s a well kept secret so far.

Tunring to the Court?s Feat of Strength staged over the weekend, George Harvey took the male senior class forcing Claude Pitts into second and Carlos Crispo into third. In the junior ranks, Guy Carlton Neal, prevailed for top honours beating out Sherston O?brien and Tyrone Cherrington in that order and you know these guys had to lift some serious weight.

Meanwhile folks, a bunch of non-cyclists decidedto test themselves in a twenty-mile race Saturday here in Belize City. And here is Karl Petillo pedalling alone for the victory as if unconcerned.

Doesn?t look like a race to us, but Pepe Young is headed for second place and number three is ?Yellowman? Michael Henry who also rolls in alone. And here is the fourth place finisher Keon Gentle, being accompanied by another rider to the finish line. And here?s where the mystery begins for us. Steven Ferguson of Channel 5 alights from a vehicle but on the list of winners, he is listed as number five. Does this mean the other competitors who came behind my man Steven Ferguson travelled by bus? Hey life is real and then you gotta find out what?s going on. And we gotta say that?s our show for today. We invite you back same time, same place next week. Jah over all, I’m James Adderley.