BAA make it six on the bounce
BAA made it six wins in a row on Saturday with a win over Tuff Dogs to stretch their lead at the top of Commercial A to three points as Robin Hood lost ground with a point against Lobster Pot.
The first half was a tight affair with BAA having the edge but they were unable to find away past the excellent Tuff Dogs keeper.
The second half saw Wanderers gain the upper hand with wingers Wayne Clapham and Martin Jones causing the Dogs defence all kinds of trouble.
And it was no surprise when BAA opened the scoring when Martin Jones fired home his 11th of the season with a 20-yard screamer with the outside of his right foot.
BAA were now in control and with ten minutes remaining Dave Gibbs added a second when he was put through by Wayne Clapham and slotted home.
Robin Hood who have led for most of the season dropped two points with a 1-1 draw with Lobster Pot. It was a pulsating encounter, with both teams being aggressive but also trying to play good football.
After a scoreless first half, Hood struck first when an injured Kenny Dill had drifted out right and sent over a speculative cross cum shot that the Pot keeper failed to deal with.
But Hood failed to build on this advantage and the Pot equalised after 75 minutes with a bullet header from Marek Noha direct from a corner.
Both sides were reduced to 10 men for the last 10 minutes – Pot's Ken Mahadeo went off injured but all the subs were used while the Hood's Dave Wolffe was dismissed for foul language.
At St David's, MR Onions started the better of the two teams and had the ball in the PHC net on three separate occasions, each of which was disallowed, before taking the lead when Eoghan O'Dwyer's free kick was headed home by Nigel Forrester.
The PHC defence, well marshaled by ex-pro Kyle Lightbourne, was proving difficult to break down and the visitors almost snatched a second half equaliser when a well struck lob cannoned off the crossbar.
Immediately after that let-off, MRs had a golden chance to make the game safe, but Darragh O'Donoghue's close range effort was too close to the keeper and the defence was able to clear.
PHC continued to push for an equaliser and Raiders Quincy Hunt lobbed the keeper but only to see his shot hit cross bar but MRs held on for the victory that moved them up to second in the league.
North Village Rams defeated Dandy Town Roots 4-1 despite playing the majority of the game with ten men as Kentoine Jennings was sent off midway through the first half for foul language.
Rams took the lead after the Roots tried to pass the ball inside their own crowded penalty area. The ball broke kindly to Cornell Robinson whose shot from the edge of the box deflected past a sprawling Roots keeper.
A few minutes later, Rams were 2-0 up when a Roots defender was judged to have handled the ball. Stephen Coddington made no mistake from the spot kick.
The Roots came out with determination after the interval and pulled one back when a Paul Cann free kick on the left somehow eluded everyone and Michael Wells was there to use his side to guide the ball into the net.
Roots sensed a comeback and bombarded the Village goal, however, Ricky Hill in the Rams goal was in magnificent form as he continuously denied Roots a deserved equalizer as Roots were taking advantage of the man advantage.
Damon Wade had other ideas as to the outcome of the game as he received the ball on the half way line and dispensed of three Roots defenders before slotting the ball over the advancing keeper. Rams added a forth when Cal Dill Jnr. drove the ball home from the edge of the area and add more misery to the Roots.
Key West Rangers crushed hapless Prospect/Fire 5-0. Sergio Griffin got two, Zane Stowe, Paul Towlson and Jamel Anderson also tallied.
In the Commercial B Group 1 a resurgent Vasco are taking no prisoners, this week stuffing Somerset Bridge Peskies 6-0. Goals came from Heldar Carreiro in the first half with further strikes from Ricardo Arruda (2), Kennedy Wainwright (2) and Stephan Teleman (1) in the second half.
Hamilton Parish came out on top of an 18-goal thriller with St. David's with an 13-5 win. Corey Hill, Shawn Dill and Irving Burgess all grabbed hat-tricks for Parish while Alvin Baker, Alex Johnston and Raymond Burgess were also on target.
St. David's player Jonathan Denbrook got a goal for both teams while Chris Foggo got two for the East Enders, while Sinclair Smith and Gregory Outerbridge also notched. Boulevard beating Valley 5-0.
In the Commercial B Group 2 second-place MR Onions Real Men closed the gap on Somerset Extros with the 3-2 defeat of Devonshire All-Stars.
A new look Onions struggled until midfielder Mike Baker took the game by the scruff of the neck, robbing an All-Stars midfielder of the ball before firing home from range.
The game was even at the break after Ellington Weldon got on the end of a long punt from the keeper to race through and score.
Onions fell behind when McConnen Hollis netted from close range following a corner. A long low effort from Greg Rymon-Lipinski evaded everyone to creep into the corner to make things even before the hardworking Mick Gilliland capped a fine game with the Onions' winner.
At Shelly Bay Wolves finally triumphed in a see-saw encounter with Pest Control who jumped to an early two-goal lead against after two defensive errors were punished by Jamie Matthew.
Daniel Stovell replied from a corner, and a Horace Landy strike resulted in a 2-2 half-time scoreline.
Landy scored again after the break to give Wolves their first lead, but Patrick Pedro equalized following a goalmouth scramble after a Pest Control free-kick.
Landy completed his hat-trick with ten minutes remaining and Wolves hung on for the 4-3 win. Dockyard Falcons drew 2-2 with Devonshire Lions.
¦ Please send match reports to mtaylor@royalgazette.bm