St David’s 1

Hamilton Parish 4

Hamilton Parish Hot Peppers are virtually safe from the threat of relegation after an emphatic away win over bottom team St David’s yesterday.

Donovan Thompson, Parish’s teenage striker, struck twice for the second straight match to lead Parish to victory over last season’s promotion partners, leaving St David’s anchored at the bottom of the table, eight points behind Parish.

The usually reliable Angelo Cannonier missed a 70th-minute penalty for St David’s that would have pulled the home team back to 3-2. Thompson then made certain of victory with his second goal of the game seven minutes from the end. Now the Hot Peppers can spend the last three league games aiming for Dudley Eve Trophy qualification rather than battling for Premier Division survival.

“This was a big game for us,” Kieshon Smith, the Parish coach, said. “St David’s are one of our rivals and I told the guys if we are to compete in the league, then we must dominate our side of the Island — the east side. We have three games left and now we can reach for higher aspirations as far as Dudley Eve for next year.”

Parish are seventh in the standings, seven points clear of the relegation zone, with games against Devonshire Cougars, North Village and PHC to come.

“No fear of relegation, our destiny is in our own hands,” Smith added. “We’re here and we’re here to stay. It was a great team spirit today. We were missing quite a few guys through injury, but I told the guys it is a squad thing and the guys who filled in did an excellent job.”

Parish were given a tenth-minute lead courtesy of Thompson’s fifth goal in the past four league matches. The 18-year-old beat Cory Richardson, the advancing St David’s goalkeeper, to a through-ball and tucked it into the far bottom corner.

An equally well-taken goal brought St David’s level six minutes later when Dominique Lambert’s cross from the right was met by Shakil Robinson, who headed firmly back across goal and inside the far post.

The teams continued to create chances in the dark and rainy conditions, but it was Parish who went back in front in the 32nd minute when the livewire Shayne Hollis started a move on the left flank and got into the box on the far side unchecked to take a short pass from Thompson and slip the ball past Richardson from 12 yards.

A free kick from 25 yards by Kneiko Richardson went just over the bar as Parish went in search of another goal before the break, although St David’s still looked threatening as Lambert shot straight at Nigel Burgess, the Parish goalkeeper. on the turn. Lambert then had a goalbound shot cleared off the line by Anthony Smith after Burgess was caught out of position.

The chances continued to come in the rain as Hollis lifted a good chance over the bar from six yards after Thompson set him up. Patrick Richardson, who had been on the field for only a couple of minutes, in place of Clevon Hill, scored Parish’s third goal from the penalty spot in the 64th minute after Sean Bobbington was blown down for a foul.

St David’s had a penalty of their own six minutes later when Lambert was fouled by Lorenzo Simmons, but Burgess guessed right and saved Cannonier’s spot kick to his right.

Thompson made certain of victory for Parish with seven minutes remaining when, moments after being booked for a studs-up challenge on Richardson, he followed up a blocked shot to beat the St David’s goalkeeper from close range for Parish’s fourth.