Silver Sands' goalscorer Conrick Ashton (right) and Benfica's Jamar Alleyne battling for ball possession.

by EZRA STUART

AN UPSET, a narrow escape and a penalty shoot-out victory.

That's what fans were treated to in the three selected first-round matches in the Barbados Football Association's Knockout Cup at the YMCA Sunday night.

After Division 2 side Dayrells Road shocked newly promoted Division 1 team, Shades of Black Station Hill 3-0, Premier League team Lickin' Chicken Silver Sands survived a scare before rallying to defeat a spirited Benfica Division 1 side 4-2.

And in the all Premiership feature match, Youth Milan prevailed 4-3 on penalties over Tudor Bridge after scores were locked 1-1 at the end of full and extra-time.

In the opening encounter, national under-23 striker Tristan Parris scored goals in the 46th and 51st minutes after a goalless first-half, while teammate Christopher Sealy sealed the surprise victory for Dayrells Road with an 89th minute strike.

But Benfica paid the price for making two strange substitutions after going ahead 2-1 early in the second half when a Rohan Johnson shot beat goalkeeper Rhawn Cox.

Silver Sands had scored first through the dread-locked Conrick Ashton in the 25th minute but Rommell Gittens equalised six minutes from half-time to leave the match tied 1-1 at the break.

Benfica continued to enjoy the better of the exchanges with some crisp short passes and clever build-ups and were rewarded with Johnson's goal.

This forced Silver Sands to rearrange their line-up with midfielder Carlos Ward coming on for Troy Callender and the experienced Ryan Brewster taking up a striking role.

The move paid off when inspirational captain Paul "Soup" Lovell slipped through the Benfica defence, flicked the ball away from goalkeeper Kean James to an unmarked Brewster, who easily slotted home, amid cries for off-side.

At the other end, Benfica squandered a golden opportunity to regain the lead when Gittens inexplicably spooned his shot way over the cross bars. Shortly after, Benfica replaced Jamar Alleyne and Renaldo Hinds with Nicholas Alfred and Sheldon Nicholls.

These two substitutions seemed to affect their rhythm and Silver Sands, who had earlier introduced the late-arriving Timothy Walton, also replaced the injured Jamar Harewood with big striker Jason Sealy, started to get their act together.

Walton became Silver Sands' hero in the third minute of extra-time when he scored a free-kick to give his team a 3-2 lead which became 4-2 in the 116th minute (second period of extra time) when Lovell again dribbled past two defenders, kept possession as the ball bubbled up, and placed his shot to the left of James to give his team a hard-fought victory.

It came down to penalties in the final match after Tudor Bridge opened the scoring when six-footer Troy Lambert easily headed in a corner at back post, and Marlon Greaves tapped in the equaliser for Youth Milan after Tudor Bridge's goalkeeper had twice blocked shots from Tige McClean and Jason Blackman.

Tudor Bridge had a chance to win the game in regulation time but captain Shawn King's second-half penalty kick was saved by goalkeeper Adrian Chase after Travis Hinds fouled an alert Curtis Odle, who intercepted a weak pass and was heading goalward.

Results

Saturday:

Barbados Fire Service 1, ATC Soccer 0

Barbados Youth Team 2, Blackspurs 1

Belfield 4, Ellerton 3 (penalties) – Extra time 0-0.

Trents 0, Cosmos 3

Carlton 0, Clarke's Hill 1

Oxley 1, Haggatt Hall 4

Jackson 3, Lodge Road 1 (penalties) – Extra time 3-3.

WRBSSC 5, Barbados Youth Service 1

Maxwell 4, Bagatelle 0

Pinelands 3, Ivy Rovers 0

Restoration Ministries 5, Savivas 1

Hillaby 4, Wavell 4 (penalties) – Extra time 0-0.

Empire 1, St John Sonnets 0

Notre Dame 2, Roam 0

Gall Hill 7, Central League Spartan 1

Grazettes 1, Horse Hill United 3

Beverley Hills 5, Fairy Valley 4 (penalties) - Extra time 2-2.

Parish Land 0, Exactly Unified 1

Villa United 3, Police 2 (penalties) – Extra time 2-2.

Nasciemento 2, Paradise 4

Sunday:

UWI 3, Sunrise 2

Orange Hill 2, Sargeants 1

Haynesville 1, Deacons 2.