Cycling, cricket, and football on Sports Monday
Good evening, I’m James Adderley and you’re in tuned with this week’s version of Sports Monday. We begin with the B.P.F.L.’s B League clash at Sandhill field where Belize Rural All Stars caught up with Creative Tiles of Ladyville.
And Henry Gillette fires this monster at Elias Hercules whose gallant attempt at save is foiled by Jermaine Zuniga who gives the Stars and early 1-nil lead with his chest.
Edwin Reyes tries to respond for this Ladyville team, but he digs at the Sandhill field and that must hurt. But when the Ladyville defence gives easy possession to Stevon Graham, he fires this long-range missile that Hercules cannot dig out and Rural takes the 2-zip lead.
Again, poor defence gives Rural another shot at goal and Henry Gillette fires with bad intention, but this time Hercules shines.
In traffic Enjer Hercules tries to get his team on the scoreboard with this offering from long range, but it presents very little in the way of a problem for Charles Flores.
Enjer continues the Ladyville press with this centre that should have been converted by Thedran Reid. However, immediately downfield Jermaine Zuniga makes it took too easy to score his second goal of the match and give his team a 3-zip lead to take into the locker room at intermission.
Immediately into second half, Reid blows the first attempt at goal by not controlling the pill effectively. At the other end, the Stars get an open look at goal but the launch by number twenty-one raises over the crossbar.
Folks, in second half Creative Tiles have become the protagonist in this ballgame and this header from Thedran Reid almost hits the target.
In the meantime, can you appreciate this save by Charles Flores–it is a thing of beauty and it keeps Ladyville scoreless. Again, Thedran Reid fires with bad intention and again he is on the wrong side of the game of inches.
The pressure by Creative Tiles finally pays off when number thirteen Albert Thurton splices the pill post Flores and we’ve got a 3-1 ballgame.
Thedran Reid could make it 3-2 right here, but this shot sails over the crossbar. Belize Rural All Stars go on to post the 3-1 big W in regulation time.
In other results from the weekend, Corozal clobbered Yabra United 9-1 at the M.C.C. Grounds, while Lazio fell to Delta Sport 2-zip.
In cycling news the sixty-one mile race from La Loma Luz Hospital in Santa Elena, Cayo to the Marion Jones here in Belize City was captured by Ernest Meighan in a time of two hours fifty-eight minutes forty-five seconds, beating out Santino team mate Marlon Castillo, Ian Smith of Guinness Smiling pulled up third, Keith Enright fourth, while Mark Staine rounds out the top five. We also take this opportunity to congratulate the Belize Cycling Association on a wonderful and successful family day of racing yesterday at the Marion Jones Sporting Complex. Let’s do it again.
Turning to the cricket scene, we take you to Gardenia where the Harrison Parks tournament presented its opening marathon package to kick off the annual season. Fourteen teams made a bid, including the defending champ Wicked Eleven of Flower’s Bank who were ousted in the second round by Surprise of Lemonal fifty-six to forty-two in this very match you’re watching.
In semi-final play Western Eagles of Rancho Dolores eliminated Long Journey of Gardenia 37-29, while Wanderers of Belmopan took out Surprise of Lemonal reaching 70-65. However, Wanderers and Western Eagles will have to share the 2004 marathon title since darkness forced a halt to the action before it could reach its natural conclusion. Regular season nevertheless now gets underway this Saturday January thirty-first.
In closing folks, the Football Federation of Belize, decertified by the National Sports Council did not present its scheduled A League games as advertised. They did hold a general assembly and we’re yet to find out what transpired at that particular caucus. Nevertheless, de-certification of the F.F.B. will certainly hurt the development of football in Belize. Hopefully we could save time, save money be reaching some kind of compromise. Our only prayer today is that there is a will to solve this particular impasse at this point in time.
That’s it for now, we invite you back same time, same place, next week. Jah over all! I’m James Adderley.
