Blackbirds enjoy good pickings

It was a superb for the University of the West Indies (UWI) Blackbirds men’s team, as they secured two impressive victories on day three of the 39th Barbados International Hockey Festival, held at the National Hockey Centre in Wildey, St Michael.

Donning bright orange, the UWI Blackbirds battled fiercely to earn a hard-fought 1-0 victory against defending men’s champions, Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC).

The decisive moment came in the 40th minute when forward Justin Catlin scored the winning goal, handing GCC their third defeat of the festival.

Later in the day, the UWI team showcased their dominance once again with a commanding 7-0 victory over the Barbados Union of Teachers. This comprehensive win solidified their position as one of the strongest teams in the competition.

In another men’s match, A Badd Connection (ABC) clinched a narrow 2-1 victory over Du Badd in a closely contested encounter. ABC took the lead in the 16th minute, courtesy of a powerful strike from James Godding off a penalty corner.

Teenager Kanye Wharton levelled the score in the 28th minute with a well-executed field goal. However, ABC’s veteran player, Dave Cox, sealed the win with a superb shot off a penalty corner in the 37th minute.

The defending champions of the Masters competition, UWI, were also in impressive form, defeating the New York Islanders 5-1. Roger Phillips led the charge with two field goals in the 12th and 20th minutes.

In the second half, forward Colin Elcock added to the tally with a goal in the 25th minute, followed by Annette Gibbs, who scored in the 27th and 40th minutes.

Despite a goal from Andre Fergusson in the 35th minute for the Islanders, it was not enough to challenge UWI’s dominance.

UWI masters continued their strong performance with another masterful display, overwhelming Old and Drag Down (ODD) Club’s defence with three

penalty corners, scored by Kris Holder in the eighth minute, Nevin Roach in the 38th, and Bradley Harris in the 40th. Meanwhile, Blackbirds were held to a 1-1 draw against Hikers.

Despite their earlier defeat, ODD Masters bounced back with a superb 4-1 victory against All Stars. Seasoned players Dentonia McClean (19th), Mario George (27th), Aaron Forde (32nd) and Ralph Watson (37th) all contributed to the final score, while Laurando Davis was the sole scorer for All Stars with a goal in the 25th minute.

In another Masters match, ABC Masters team secured a 2-0 win over the New York Islanders, with Dominic Hill scoring in the fourth minute and Peter Harris adding another goal in the 24th minute.

Results Women Du Badd 0, Toronto United 1 Masters NY Islanders 1, UWI Blackbirds 5 ODD 4, All Stars 1 NY Islanders 0, ABC 2 ODD 0, UWI Blackbirds 3 Mixed Du Badd 0, UWI Blackbirds 0 UWI Blackbirds 0, Rockets 1 ABC 0, Madhatters 1 ABC 1, Du Badd 1 Madhatters 0, Hikers 3 Men GCC 0, UWI Blackbirds 1 Du Badd 1, ABC 2 BUT 0, UWI Blackbirds 7 BUT 0, Du Badd 2 BUT 0, THC 3

(Morissa Lindsay)

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