DURHAM JESTERS found out first-hand that the University of the West Indies Hockey Club (UWIHC) aren’t clowning around in this year’s Banks International Barbados Hockey Festival.
The UWI men thoroughly outplayed their overseas opponents on the way to a convincing 2-0 victory when preliminary matches began yesterday at Queen’s Park and Weymouth.
Playing in their first match of the competition at Weymouth, UWI didn’t allow heavy showers and a wet outfield to dampen their usual aggressive approach.
They should have scored in the opening seconds too, after a good build-up in the midfield, but facing an empty net, Justin Catlyn shot wide.
Minutes later, Catlyn wasted another opportunity to put UWI in the lead, launching his shot straight at Jester’s goalkeeper Jonny Dodds, who parried it wide.
With the Jesters continuing to soak up pressure while struggling to come to grips with the grassy pitch, it came as no surprise when UWI opened the scoring.
After receiving a pinpoint pass from Che Roach, Kris Holder played a neat back flick that found the back of the nets to put his side ahead in the 12th minute.
Two minutes later, Catlyn made amends for his earlier misses, when his accurately placed sweep flew into the near post, leaving the Jesters’ keeper with no chance.
UWI’s defensive trio of sweeper Corey Goddard, Shane Lewis and Randy Jules did an excellent job of containing the Jesters who had very few opportunities to score.
Despite not getting on the scoresheet, the Jesters did have a bright spark in Dan Muldoon.
The short, stocky Zimbabwean was a thorn in UWI’s side for the entire match, thwarting several UWI counter-attacks, switching from right back to left back, and even playing sweeper at times.
From the moment Muldoon was substituted late in the second half, UWI forged ahead and almost grabbed a third after some good work on the left by Roach, who skilfully evaded three Jesters’ defenders.
Presented with an easy chance to grab his second goal, Holder inexplicably shot wide, much to the delight of the Jester players.
Both teams then muffed opportunities off short corners before the final whistle.
All Stars also began their tournament on a winning note, downing ABC 3-2 in a thrilling contest at Queen’s Park.
An own goal by Paul Reid had given All Stars the lead in the 21st minute, before two strikes from Donovan Smith (32nd) and Jamar Small, in the 43rd, put ABC ahead.
However, Neil Franklyn’s 46th-minute goal and another ABC own goal, this time from goalkeeper Ramal Williams, condemned them to defeat.
Defending women’s champions ABC had a bittersweet day, when they lost their opening encounter to Deacons 1-2, before rebounding to thrash UWI 3-0 in their second game.
Trinidad and Tobago’s Paradise enjoyed a good day, recording wins in both the men’s and mixed divisions.
Their men dispatched DU Badd 2-0, before the mixed side edged UWI 1-0 in a tough encounter, thanks to Tammy Small’s lone goal.
Results
Mixed
Old Gold Roosters 4, BB Limers 1
DU Badd 3, T&T Police 0
Paradise 1, UWI 0
Rockets 3, All Stars 0
Women
UWI 3, Old Gold Roosters 0
DU Badd 1, Empire 0
ABC 1, Deacons 2
All Stars 0, BB Limers 0
ABC 3, UWI 0
DU Badd 4, All Stars 0
Men
BDF 4, ABC 1
Paradise 2, DU Badd 0
All Stars 3, ABC 2
UWI 2, Durham Jesters 0
Empire 5, Durham Jesters 3
ABC 0, DU Badd 0
