Bandits tie with Dolphins, but have one more chance for playoffs
Good evening, I’m James Adderley and you’re right on time for a fresh slice of Sports Monday. Builders Hardware Bandits of Belmopan had the homefield advantage in their bid for a B.F.L. playoff birth when they hosted league leading San Pedro Dolphins yesterday. A win for the Bandits would make their playoff appearance much closer while a loss would obviously reverse that fortune.
But first let’s focus in on the pitch at the Isidoro Beaton Stadium which is not exactly at its best today. Nevertheless it’s only ten minutes in when Orlando Pelayo gets a crack at the novice Stephen Rubio in the Dolphins’ goal only to let him off the hook. On the next play it’s Christopher Hendricks on the move but Shane Moody makes the save.
At the other end Edmund Pandy finds Pelayo for the header which misses the target. Goalkeeper Delmar Sutherland, who starts as a striker, finds Landy Pinelo with a service but the launch lifts over the crossbar. Belmopan gets to lead when Casey hooks up with Edmund Pandy but the novice Rubio really comes up with a big time save. But the San Pedro management has seen enough from Rubio so they send for their number one keeper Delmar Sutherland – it would prove to be crucial.
Alberto Acosta provides the first test for Sutherland with a header but the keeper passes with flying colors. A few minutes from intermission whistle Pinelo throws the ball to Ruperto Vicente in disagreement with a call and just like that the Dolphins become a ten-man team and at the half it’s scoreless.
In second half the action picks up. Dean Flowers gets way inside the eighteen only to be taken down by Rupert Smith. Smith gets the yellow card, the Dolphins get the penalty ten minutes in. For Oliver Hendricks the conversion is automatic and the lead belongs to the islanders. Just three minutes later Alberto Acosta is illegally abused by John Ismael Trapp inside the box and Belmopan gets its penalty call. Edmund “the buzzard” steps up to embarrass Delmar and tie the game at one a piece.
It’s Belmopan insisting now and how they come up empty after numerous attempts is something of a mystery. At the other end it’s all ease as Christopher and Oliver Hendricks fail on their collaborative effort that should have scored.
It’s the thirty-first minute of the second half when the Dolphins pick up another penalty call as Willie Valdez takes down Oliver Hendricks on a scoring drive – it is the second yellow for Valdez and he is forced to leave.
Again the Dolphins go to Oliver Hendricks and again he gives them the lead, this time two to one. However, the Bandits wouldn’t quit and when Floyd August crushes a corner kick with a vicious header he ties the score at two a piece and that’s the way it ended.
Belmopan’s final regular season game next week comes up against Real Verdes at the Norman Broaster Stadium. Can Belmopan make it to the playoffs? That’s the million-dollar question.
In other scores from around the league Juventus of Orange Walk hurt Grigamandala three-one, Kulture Yabra edged Acros Bombers two-one while La Victoria and Real Verdes battled to a scoreless stalemate. Yeah, one more game to go for all these teams, the mad rush for the playoffs continues right up to the final date, make that week eighteen. Only three teams are assured of a birth at this point. They are Kulture Yabra, the Dolphins and of course Sagitun.
In CONCACAF football, a goal by Oliver Hendricks forced a one-one tie between Sagitun of Independence, Belize and Communicaciones of Guatemala. The return trip in this home and away series for this Copa Compianes Tournament is third of February. This Thursday the twentieth of January La Victoria opens against Municipal at Guatemala. Channel Five keeps you posted.
That’s it for now. We wanna thank our cameramen for their great work this weekend. Jah over all. I’m James Adderley.
