T&T: Malvern make Big Four mas'  x3
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August 2, 2005
Trinidad Express
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AS people made their way off to various functions and street parades to celebrate Emancip-ation Day, Malvern men and women had their own celebration party at the Tacarigua Hockey Turf as they captured both the men's and women's division titles of the Toyota-sponsored Trinidad and Tobago Hockey Board's Big Four tournament.
The Big Four, which flicked off last Wednesday, commenced with a women's clash between Malvern and Defence Force where both teams played to a 2-2 draw.
An Orie Trotman strike gave Malvern an early lead in the 11th minute of the game, but the army women
struck back through a single item from Jeanette Peters three minutes after. Later in the game, Brigid Poon-Lewis got one in for Malvern, however national midfielder, Nicole Aming continued the fight for the Army girls with a 40th minute equaliser.
Malvern and Paragon opened the men's segment of the Big Four. Be it a case of stage fright or just a
faulty game plan, the Paragon men could not stop a gruesome 4-1 defeat from an experienced Malvern ensemble. Malvern marksmen, Wayne Legerton and Anthony Marcano, fired a double each for their contingent, while Akim Toussaint scored the lone goal for Paragon.
On the second day of the battle of the hockey titans, Magnolias received a big surprise when they arrived at the hockey turf and saw Raiders instead of Paradise for their first Big Four encounter. The Tobago-based Paradise team's penultimate cancellation of the tournament necessitated Raiders taking up the challenge for the Big Four. Nevertheless, the Magnolias women made the most of the change in fixtures, crashing Raiders 7-0 through a hattrick from the newest addition to their camp, Jamaica-born Audrey Gaynor and a goal a piece from Gayle Ann Nieves, Nicole Bradshaw, Stacey Sui Butt and Alison Sudan. In the men's division, Defence Force got the better of Queen's Park, trouncing the proud Parkites 3-0. A double from Nicholas Wren and a single item from Keshew Johnson earned a much-desired win for the Army men after they missed their chances at a knockout title at the hands of the same Queen's Park men two weeks before.
Day three of the Big Four-Saturday-brought some major upsets, as Raiders, totally recovered from their 7-0 Magnolias massacre, and came out in full force against
Defence Force, playing to a 2-2 draw. Tonya James netted a 9th minute opener for Raiders followed by another Raiders strike by Krizzia James. However,
Raiders could not maintain their lead as Avanell Lee and Summer Hector contributed a goal each for the Army women.
Malvern salvaged a close 2-1 victory over Magnolias in the other women's clash of the day. The game proved to be one of skills and thrills as Stacy Sui Butt fought to maintain the Magnolias dominance in the hockey league, but could only manage a solitary response for her team amidst single strikes from veteran player, Shurland Cabralis and Andrea Jackson which warranted a Malvern win.
Later in the evening, the intrigue continued in fine hockey fashion as Defence Force fell to a ego-wrenching 1-0 defeat at the sticks of the fledgling Paragon contingent through a Sheldon Mc Kellar item. And the night was sealed off with an encounter between Malvern and Queen's Park which left the Queen's Park men in state of loss once more as they bowed 2-1. Colin Byron and Wayne Legerton got the strikes for Malvern, while Nicholas Da Costa replied for Queen's Park.
By Sunday, final day of the Big Four, the men's and women's titles were still up for grabs. Malvern met Raiders in the first women's encounter, claiming a 4-0 victory. With a goal-less first half dominated by an aggressive Raiders offence, the Malvern women were determined not to allow the title to slip away. In the second half of the game, Malvern's revised strategy led to an Orie Trotman strike in the 57th minute and this was followed by a hattrick from Rosanne Reyes in the 60th, 67th and 70th minutes.
With Malvern still in the race for the women's title, Magnolias' thirst for victory intensified.
However as much as they wanted and needed a win, the Magnolias women could not pull off a victory over the Army women and had to settle for a 3-3 draw. Stacy Siu Butt, Gayle Ann Nieves and Candice De Freitas netted for Magnolias, while Jessel Gilbert-Francis, Lisa Morris and Nicole Aming got the strikes for Defence Force.
This draw gave the
Malvern women the rights to the 2005 Big Four title and it was now up to the hockey gods to smile down the same favour on their male counterparts.
The final tussle for the men's crown began with a game between Queen's Park and Paragon. The Queen's Park men commenced their campaign with a fast paced organised offensive strategy, but the Paragon men made them work extra hard for a win as goals came rapidly from both ends of the field. In the end Queen's Park proved to be the superior stickmen as they managed to steal a 5-4 victory through a hattrick from Douglas Hay and a goal each from Raphael Govia and Gary Griffith.
In the closing game of the tournament, Malvern men completed their mission for the 2005 hockey season. Through sheer determination, talent and heart, they claimed a 4-2 win over Defence Force, grabbing the 2005 Big Four title. Nicholas Wren and Eddison O'Brien contributed single items for Defence Force but it was Wayne Legerton who was the hero for the night as he netted a hattrick for Malvern along with a single item from Colin Byron.
In retrospect, as the final whistle was blown on the 2005 outdoor season, all can agree that it was a season of surprises. Although, Malvern men and women, Magnolias and Queen's Park captured titles for this season, all teams made a good showing of themselves. With the indoor zseason expected to start next month, spectators can anticipate even more excitement and hockey at its very best.
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