The Wolues beat Old Madrid 4-1 in the opening game of the Virgin Gorda Cup on Sunday October 6, 2013. Photo: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO

Dion Clarke nets a late consolation goal for Old Madrid. Photo credit: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO

Sister Islands Coordinator Mr Vincent Wheatley made remarks on behalf of the Honourable Ralph T O'Neal OBE, whom he said was there in spirit. Photo: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO

Franka Pickering presents Andy Bickerton with a cheque from sponsors, The Virgin Gorda Yacht Harbor. Photo: BVIFA

Wolues new boy, Avain Thompson, made an early impact on the game and the keeper and will strengthen the Wolues squad for the season. Photo credit: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO

Rory Greenan scored the 4th goal and goes close to a 5th as Kenrick Grant makes the save. Photo credit: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO

Declan Cassidy scored a first half hat-trick to secure the win for the Wolues. Photo: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO

BVI Football Association (BVIFA) President, Andy Bickerton launched the season announcing the appointment of Keith Griffiths as Technical Director. Mr Griffith's primary focus is to be on High School Football, especially the U-15 and U-18 age brackets.

Bickerton also detailed some of the plans for the 2013/14 season but cautioned the assembled players as to the issues the BVIFA faces with compliance of the new Non-Government Organisation Legislation. “Under the new legislation we are no longer able to pay out prize money unless it comes directly from sponsors,” he stated.

“The Virgin Gorda Yacht Harbour are the sponsors of the Virgin Gorda Cup and providing trophies but there is no prize money available at the moment.”

Mr Vincent Wheatley, on behalf of the Honourable Ralph T O’Neal OBE, welcomed the teams to Virgin Gorda and extolled the teams to play fair and stay injury free. He also expressed how the players were responsible for building the sport and that with hard work and dedication, nothing is unattainable.

Adrian Williams of BVI Cable TV offered some words of encouragement and Mrs Franka Pickering, speaking on behalf of the Virgin Gorda Yacht Club and BVI Investment Club, said it was a pleasure to be involved in football. “It is a great pleasure to be a sponsor of this competition and we will continue to support the games played in Virgin Gorda. Good luck to all the teams, remember the referees decision is final and may all of you have a successful and injury free tournament.”

She then presented Bickerton with a cheque before Paul Hewlett, on behalf of the Minister Responsible for Sports, the Honourable Myron V. Walwyn, officially declared the tournament open.

Following the Opening Ceremony, Wolues and Old Madrid played an early game of cat and mouse with both teams looking to gain midfield control and stringing together some passes on the sloped but well grassed pitch.

After the opening 10 minutes of the 35-minute half, the Wolues began to take control and use playing downhill to their advantage.

Daniel Mitchell took a long range shot which proved no trouble for Old Madrid ‘keeper, Kenrick Grant, but the warning bells were sounded as first; Tommy Farrell swept a pass to Laurie Keown, who in turn found the unmarked Rory Greenan. Greenan took a touch and then slipped the ball to Declan Cassidy, but his shot went just wide.

Then Grant rose highest to clear a corner under pressure from Avian Thompson’s cross before Cassidy picked up the loose ball and linked up with Greenan whose final pass proved too heavy and gave Kenmore Peters the chance to clear the danger just ahead of Thompson who was primed to shoot just outside the six yard box.

Just minutes later, however, Mitchell and Greenan combined to set up Cassidy for the game's opening goal. The ball sat up nicely for the former Cayman Islands player to fire home from the edge of the box on the volley and giving Grant no chance.

A flashing Mitchell header was a whisper too high from Greenan’s corner on 20 minutes and before the ball had been into the Wolues half again two lob shots from Cassidy had made the score 3-0. The first, a through ball from Thompson and the second from a defense splitting ball from Greenan.

“The first one was my favourite,” declared Cassidy “it bounced up nice and I hit on the volley. The other two were nice and I haven’t scored in a while so it’s a good feeling to see them going in. I saw the keeper coming off his line and was able to lift the ball over his head.”

The second half saw the Wolues make it 4-0 inside the first 5 minutes and with 5 minutes to go Dion Clarke pulled one back for Old Madrid, to make the final score 4-1 as he latched onto a sublime ball from Peters to hit a first time shot from close range past Andrew Seckts.

Wolues Skipper Greenan was pleased with the win. “It was pretty tough and a great result for us. We played the ball around and the pitch was flat so that’s what we like. We have some new faces and the older ones played well too so it should be a good season.”

The day’s second game saw Sugar Boyz race into an early 2-0 lead against the Rebels, thanks to goals from Derrol Redhead on 14 minutes and Michael Castillo on 18 minutes.

Daniel Snubbs pulled one back for the rebels half way through the second half but 2-1 was how it finished.

The last game featured Islanders against Haitian Stars and running out comfortable 3-0 winners with Valdo Anderson opening the score on 53 minutes, before Rohan “Chi Chi” Lenon doubled the advantage on 55 minutes and then the same player rounded things off with his second and the Islanders third on 63 minutes.

Action resumes on Sunday October 13 with East End playing One Love at 6.15 P.M. and Ballstars facing Panthers at 8.15 P.M.