Three Points Despite Nervy Finish
Our unbeaten start to the 2025 AFL season now stretches to three games after our latest fixture saw us overcoming Eagle Claw by 3 goals to 2!
We started this game with a real bang when Jauron Gayle opened the scoring after just 35 seconds! After kicking off, we kept the ball until Asharn Hodge floated a lovely ball over the top which Jauron latched onto. The Anguillian Archer took his shot early from the edge of the box to give the Eagle Claw goalkeeper no chance of saving! What a start!
Despite that blistering start the next 15 minutes were very quiet until Tre Gumbs rolled back the years with a vintage pile driver of a shot from the edge of the box which was well held by the goalkeeper. Five minutes later, Eagle Claw had their first effort at goal, a powerful shot from 8 yards out which was well blocked by Keronni Vanterpool who was making his first start between the sticks this season, deputising for Shemor Browne who was away with the Anguilla Under 17’s national team in Sint Maarten.
In fairness, Eagle Claw were having plenty of possession and it almost cost us when in the 34th minute, Asharn Hodge bravely blocked a goal bound shot only for another shot to come in which Keronni parried with the ball falling to an Eagle Claw player who turned the ball into the net, however, thankfully the assistant referee came to our rescue to flag for offside! We were let off the hook just a few seconds later when Claw’s Stewart Murray found himself clean through on goal, he dribbled past Keronni but somehow missed the target with the goal gaping! That was the last real action of any note before the referee signalled for half-time.
It was almost a great start to the second half, just two minutes in when a Matthew Brown through ball found Jauron through on goal but his shot was turned around the post by the goalkeeper. Jaiden Fleming then tried his luck a few minutes later but could only shoot straight at the keeper. Our pressure finally told when we increased our lead in the 62nd minute when a Jordan Deans corner was headed down by Asharn Hodge which was met with a close-range finish by Jauron!
Eagle Claw very nearly reduced their deficit in the 74th minute when the former Uprising player Tajay Johnson was put through on goal, he looked certain score only for Keronni to narrow the angle and produce a great save with his legs. We then looked to have secured all three points two minutes later when Jordan beat his man on the edge of the box and unleashed a left footed shot into the bottom corner. The win was now safe you would think, but football is a funny game!
Four minutes from time Eagle Claw scored directly from an in-swinging corner, they now had their tails up and continued to push forward! Two minutes into injury time we had Keronni Vanterpool to thank for producing the save of the night in order to maintain our two-goal advantage, but he could nothing to prevent our opponents getting their second of the game just two minutes later! Keronni was again called into action when he saved a near post shot and a few seconds later the referee thankfully blew his whistle for full time which meant we had hung on for a vital three points!
Uprising Starting Line Up:
1) Keronni Vanterpool, 3) Asharn Hodge ( c ), 7) Delani Francis, 11) Nathaniel Gumbs, 29) Joel Orosco, 4) Jaiden Fleming, 5) Tre Gumbs, 8) Jordan Deans, 10) Matthew Brown,13) Jauron Gayle, 28) Deon Burton.
Subs: 15) Javan Troin, 17) Rachad Thomas, 20) Fidel Lim-Brooks, 34) Kenan Lloyd, 6) Denny Derrick, 12) Keonandrew Alexander
POTM: Keronni Vanterpool