Astwood treble stuns Blazers
Southampton 5
Boulevard 0
Keedai Astwood scored a hat-trick and Donte Brangman a double as Southampton Rangers thrashed Boulevard at BFA Field yesterday to advance to the quarter-finals of the Player Development League Tournament.
Brangman and Astwood both scored twice in the first half as Rangers, fielding a number of first team players, had the game sewn up by the interval with a 4-0 lead.
Brangman scored the first two goals before Astwood struck two quick goals later in the half to double the Rangers lead.
Boulevard continued to battle and looked set to score a consolation goal when player-coach Aaron Williams was fouled in the area and a penalty was awarded. However, Williams blasted his effort well over the bar as Blazers wasted their best chance to get on the scoresheet.
Boulevard dominated the opening 10 minutes of the second half before Rangers broke through in search of a fifth goal and went close when Demarlo Curtis lobbed goalkeeper Delgardo Pinto only to see his effort bounce onto the crossbar and back into Pinto’s grateful arms.
Astwood completed his hat-trick 10 minutes from the end when he chested down a cross from the left and drove a shot into the far bottom corner after shrugging off a challenge from defender Shane Powell.
Rangers advanced from their group along with X-Roads while Paget, also in group B, withdrew from the tournament. Young Men’s Social Club from Group D notified the Bermuda Football Association on Friday that they were unable to field a team in the competition based on the age limit criteria.
YMSC were scheduled to play Somerset yesterday at Goose Gosling Field while Paget were to meet X-Roads at the same venue.