St George’s Colts 0 Robin Hood 3

Robin Hood kept their unbeaten record intact with a comfortable win over St George’s Colts at Wellington Oval this afternoon.

First-half goals by Danté Leverock and Justin Bell combined with a Chae Brangman second-half penalty were sufficient to secure the points for Hood and open a three-point lead on champions North Village, who are in a bye week.

For St George’s, who started on the back foot with the sensational news that former Bermuda goalkeeper Freddy Hall was unavailable after being injured in a bike crash, it was a second defeat on the trot — halting any momentum gained from the surprising win away to Southampton Rangers two weeks ago.

A satisfied Hood coach John Barry Nusum reflected on his team’s performance, coming off a disappointing 2-2 draw with Southampton, having thrown away a 2-0 lead.

“We looked at our game last week and said that we need to keep a little more possession,” he said.

“We didn’t want to force the play when it wasn’t on, and we achieved that. We could have had more goals, but I think we became a little relaxed with the 2-0 lead. Overall, I would take the three goals and three points.”

The home team had a golden opportunity to open the scoring early when midfielder Jahron Dickinson, the hero from that solitary win over Southampton, cleverly chipped over the Hood defence for Sage Paynter, whose first-time shot crashed off a post with goalkeeper Jahquil Hill stranded.

This would serve as a wake-up call for the visiting side, who then started to take control of the game through Bell and namesake Justin Corday, their chief playmakers.

Hood opened their account midway through the half when a back-post header was knocked into the centre for Leverock to hit a leaning shot that sailed into the roof of the St George’s net, leaving the deputising Zeko Burgess with no chance.

Before St George’s could brush the dust off, Hood went two up when Chae Brangman robbed David Signor before sending in a low cross that left Bell the simple task of side-footing past Burgess.

St George’s made a double substitution early in the second half, bringing on Clay Darrell and Lashun Dill. The pair added spark to the home attack and they started to find holes in the Hood defence, with Darrell, in particular, threatening with his pace. However, the final touch in the attacking third was disappointing.

Burgess kept the scoreline respectable with back-to-back saves to keep out the Hood attack, the more noticeable a brilliant block from point-blank range to deny Aaron Nelson.

Darrell thought that he had pulled one back for St George’s midway through the half when he beat his marker and outrushing goalkeeper Hill to a through-ball, only to have his goal-bound shot denied by the outstretched boot of the recovering Leverock.

The match was put out of reach when Kenton Ottley gifted Hood their third with a handball as he attempted to clear. Brangman sent Burgess the wrong way with his spot-kick.

Darrell had the final chance for St George’s to salvage something from a difficult afternoon, but right on the final whistle his run and shot from the left nestled safely in the arms of Hill.

SCORERS

Robin Hood: Leverock 24, Bell 29, Brangman 76 pen

TEAMS

St George’s (4-1-4-1): Z Burgess — A Francis, O Bascome, E Signor, J Darrell — D Signor (sub: D McCallan, 72min) — C Burns (sub: L Dill, 53), J Dickinson, C Ottley, K Ottley — S Paynter (sub: C Darrell, 53). Substitutes not used: T Burgess, W Broadley, J Brangman, M Simmons. Booked: C Darrell, McCallan.

Robin Hood (4-2-3-1): J Hill — A Trott (sub: C Castle, 72), D Leverock, L Evans, L Steede — J Corday, P Parsons — A Nelson, T Goater, J Bell (sub: J Bather, 62) — C Brangman (sub: E Outerbridge, 78). Substitutes not used: T Bean, J Morrissey, N Outerbridge, A Russell. Booked: Leverock.

Referee: G Swainson.