The final regular season week of games in the Belize Bank Christmas Cup tournament was to begin at 1:30 p.m. yesterday in Ladyville, but the very wet field condition forced a transfer to the MCC Grounds in Belize City, where the games were further delayed by heavy showers at 4:00 p.m. Nevertheless, brave football hearts prevailed, and when the skies cleared up after the twenty-minute downpour, it was on to football action.
Going into yesterday’s games, Old Road United (we had erroneously referred to them as Rural All Stars) led the 4-team tournament with 4 points, followed by West Lake and R.G. City Boys with 2 points apiece from two draw games, and F.C. Belize was in the cellar with 1 point.
The format of the competition was a single round-robin, with the two top teams then squaring off in one game for the championship. Week 1 on December 18 was Old Road United 3:3 R.G. City Boys, and West Lake 1:1 F.C. Belize. Week 2 on January 10 saw Old Road United 1:0 F.C. Belize, and West Lake 1:1 R.G. City Boys. Yesterday’s fixture was the last of the brief regular season.
The star studded West Lake front line, including the two Makin brothers, Devon and Andres, Jr., along with Jarret Davis, Gilroy “Bredda” Thurton and Michael “Suite” Hernandez, had the upper hand over a game Old Road United squad, gaining the 2-1 victory with a goal each from Devon and Andres Makin. Rural’s goal was by Jerome Madrill.
That put West Lake at the top of the standings with 5 points and a certain place in the finals.
The nightcap between R.G. City Boys, featuring a recently returned Deon McCaulay, and F.C. Belize posed a number of possibilities. A win for City Boys would automatically put them in the finals with 5 points. A win by F.C. Belize would put them at 4 points, equal to Old Road United, but the goal differential would only favor F.C. Belize if they won by a 2-goal margin. Old Road sported a zero goal difference after their loss to West Lake. F.C. Belize had a -1 goal difference going into their game against R.G. City Boys, so they needed to win by 2 goals, to end with a +1 margin and a spot in the finals.
But it was not to be for either R.G. City Boys or F.C. Belize, who played to a 2-2 draw in a hotly contested match that almost disintegrated into a brawl. Referee Patrick Robinson was severely tested by a number of players, but was reluctant to issue any cards. Thankfully, the hostilities did not boil over in a couple very contentious situations.
Jeromy “Jarro” James and Thomas Castro got the goals for F.C. Belize, while Delroy Andrews and Deon McCaulay scored for R.G. City Boys.
The final standings are therefore: West Lake – 5 pts; Old Road United – 4 pts; R.G. City Boys – 3 pts; and F.C. Belize – 2 pts.
Championship match (1-game only):
Sunday, January 22
3:30 p.m. – West Lake vs Old Road United – Ladyville Football Field