Hanover, Challenger march into final

Adrian Frater, News Editor
WESTERN BUREAU:

REIGNING CHAMPIONS Hanover Masters and newcomers Challenger have earned the right to contest this Sunday's Busta/Steve Bucknor Western Masters Football League final after they emerged successfully from last weekend's crucial second leg semi-final games.

Hanover Masters, who went into their second leg semi-final fixture against Reno with a 2-1 advantage from their first-leg game, advanced to the final under controversial circumstances. With the game locked at 0-0 after 30 minutes, the Reno team took objection to the officiating of referee Ricardo Sailsman and refused to continue the game, forcing a premature end to the encounter.

DISCIPLINARY ACTION

"After looking at the facts sur-rounding what happened in the game, we have decided to make the 0-0 result stand, which means the Hanover team has advanced 2-1 on aggregate," said Bryan Miller, the chairman of the competition's steering committee. "We are also looking at taking disciplinary action against the Reno team."

In the other second-leg semi-final showdown between Violet Tourers and Challenger, who battled to a 0-0 draw in their first-leg fixture, the teams played out a 1-1 regulation and extra-time draw, sending the game into the dreaded penalty shoot-out. Challenger emerged victorious by a 4-2 margin.

"We are delighted with this result because we gave it our all," said Challenger's player/coach Ricky Warburton. "It was extremely close because we only managed a last-minute equaliser to push the game into extra-time and penalties."

INTO EXTRA TIME

In what was a keenly-contested game, Violet Tourers established an early advantage when Garnet Denton headed them into a first half 1-0 lead. However, with time running out in the second half and Violet Tourers on the verge of winning, Winston 'Tonto' Henry equalised for Challenger in the 90th minute, sending the game into extra time.

Following Sunday's final, which is slated for 3:30 p.m. at the UDC playing field in Montego Bay, the champion team will take home both the Busta Trophy and the Steve Bucknor Trophy, as well as individual gold medals for the members of the team.

The losing team will receive the Busta Challenge Shield and silver medals. There is uncertainty as to whether the third place play-off between Violet Tourers and Reno, which was originally scheduled as a curtain-raiser to the final, will be played. Indications are that the Reno team has no further interest in the competition.