On Blackheart Football opening night…
Canaries and Castries victorious By-: Robertson S. Henry

Justin St. Clair of Gros-Islet all stars (left) and Sean Kirton of castries had their own battles with each other

GROS-ISLET, Castries - Canaries and the Castries All-Stars were in winners’

row as the 2008 I.G.Y. Rodney Bay Marina and Guinness-sponsored Blackheart

Productions/Kashif and Shanghai Knockout Football Tournament kicked off on

Sunday evening, May 18 2008, at the Beausejour Cricket Ground in Gros-Islet.

It was an impressive match pass of all participating teams, with a short opening

ceremony, that did set the tone for an exciting tournament.

When the action commenced, first timers Roseau Valley, who at times displayed

better-structured football than their more illustrious counterparts, gave Canaries

a rude awakening.

As the game ticked away to what may have gone to extra time, Phillip Tisson

with a beautiful right-footed strike, was finally able to beat the Roseau Valley

custodian in the 90th minute, to give Canaries a one goal to nil win over Roseau

Valley in the opening match of the Tournament.

Guinness brand manager Vonetta Charles taking the kick-off on Sunday afternoon

Roseau Valley case was weaken minutes before the end of regulation time,

when Ahmed Similien was shown a red card for his second bookable offence.

The second match of the evening saw the unfancied Castries All-Stars team

scraping home to victory with a sudden death penalty shootout win over Gros-

Islet.

At the end of regulation time, the scores were locked at nil all, and it the same

score line at the end of extra time. Both teams converted three out of their

stipulated five penalties, sending tension a notch higher.

However, Neeve Denis of the Castries All Stars in the sudden death shootout

who hit home past Gros-Islet custodian Randy Poleon to take them into the

second round.

The Roseau Valley goalkeeper is finally beaten at last and Canaries wins a hard fought victory

Earlier, Castries All-Stars player Timothy George was shown a red card in the

first half of the encounter for kicking a Gros-Islet player in the ankle.

The player was first seen writhing on the ground in pain, but the officials were

unable to do anything since they had not seen the cause of his pain.

George swiftly deliver a sharp jab with the toe of his boot to the player’s ankle,

and it was the assistant who spotted the act, and informed referee Giles Arthur,

who dispatched George to the showers with a red card.

The action now shifts to the George Odlum Stadium in Vieux-Fort on Tuesday for

match day two of action in the preliminary stage of this year’s competition.

In Tuesday’s matches from 6.00 p.m., Playoff Champions South-east Castries will

clash with Micoud F.C., and in the second encounter from 8.00 p.m., Mon Repos

takes on Laborie.