The Tribune

THE University of the Bahamas continued their march towards becoming a part of the NAIA and its Sun Conference this past weekend with another road tour into Florida.

A strengthened squad with their top producer from last year Stuart Hanna onboard left town early Thursday morning to play the US number two ranked Florida National University on Friday and thereafter NJCAA Broward College on Sunday.

The Mingoes ran into a buzz saw on an otherwise wonderful rainy English football day as FNU totally dismantled every aspect of the team except for Mingoe pride.

FNU was way beyond our scope of play. It was like The Bahamas playing Portugal, Italy and Brazil as the team had strong representation in its ranks from each of those countries and much more, said a press release.

“FNU outran, outgunned and outplayed us at every position perhaps except for goalkeeper if you see the humour in that.

“FNU soundly defeated UB Mingoes 12-0 and UB goalkeeper Michael Butler had an incredible 13 saves to stop an otherwise stomping of the Mingoes.

“We kept our pride in the mud, rain and defeat,” said Mingoes’ head coach Dion Godet, who was assisted by Harvey Mullings. “We never dropped our heads in our match against the United Nations (chuckle) and we as a team learnt first hand what football/soccer looks like at an extremely high level. “After a day of recovery we got back into battle against Broward College on Sunday, who too boasted a solid European and South American roster. At the onset we were truly in the thick of battle trading shots and tackles with Broward. UB gave up a free kick from about 30 yards out and the team went to sleep as a driven ball found space and thereafter the foot of a BC player.”

The team, playing in the midday sun, began to tire and then the wheel fell off the cart and Broward found “El Diablo” often.

UB shot itself in the foot and made silly unfocused errors from top to bottom.

“We had numerous opportunities in this game to score unlike the FNU game but we did not deliver,” Godet said. “This was not our finest hour and Broward College is not 10 goals better the UB.

“We got sloppy, unfocused and therefore punished. That’s life.”

The Mingoes will spend the next two weeks preparing for the opening of the BFA’s senior men’s league. Last year the Mingoes collected some silverware as the B flight top team and it is expected that they will be promoted to the A flight this season.

“The team is even stronger because of the out of country exposure and we will seek to use the lessons learnt at the local level. The senior league is slated to kick off October 29th with loads of tricks and treat,” said the release.