Robin Hood 1

Dandy Town 2

Dandy Town moved level on points with second-placed Hamilton Parish after Angelo Simmons struck the winner nine minutes from time last night at Goose Gosling Field.

The defending league champions had to battle hard for the three points after winger Jahnazae Swan, just 15 years old, gave them the lead late in the first half only to see Liam Evans, another member of Bermuda’s Under-18 team that toured Florida last weekend, equalise for Hood with a well-taken goal midway through the second half.

However, it could have been different story had Antwan Russell been sharper in front of goal.

The Hood striker wasted three good chances in the first half, including missing a penalty right on half time, that would have put Hood comfortably in front at the break.

Russell’s first miss came midway through the half when he dragged his shot wide of the near post after being put clear on the left side of the penalty box.

Town took the lead soon after following a good move down the right when Simmons sent Clay Darrell away and his cross into the box was tapped in by Swan from six yards out.

Hood had a chance to equalise when they were awarded a penalty for a foul by Mikkail Crockwell, the Town goalkeeper, on Russell, which earned Crockwell a yellow card and captain Seion Darrell a booking for dissent. However, Crockwell made amends, diving to his right to save Russell’s spot-kick.

In stoppage time, Russell had a chance to make amends when a pass split the Town defence and the striker used his pace to beat the advancing Crockwell to the ball only to poke his effort wide of the post.

The misses proved costly for Hood, though they did equalise when Evans placed a perfect shot inside the post from the edge of the box after the ball rolled clear to him following a corner. He took one touch and then picked his spot.

Hood’s hopes of a point were dashed when Simmons struck in the 81st minute from close range to keep Town’s slim hopes of defending their Premier Division title alive

“That’s not like Antwan Russell, you give him a chance and he will put it away, but today he was a little rusty and thanks goodness for that,” Jomar Wilkinson, the Town coach, said.

“He had a couple of clear-cut chances that could have punished us.

“Our main objective was to come away with three points and keep the pressure on Somerset. Overall I was pleased with our performance.”

n BAA kept up their push for promotion, thrashing Ireland Rangers 6-0 in the opening match as Maurico Iris scored a hat-trick, including two penalties.

His first penalty in the 45th minute was all that separated the teams at half-time, but Iris scored two more goals in the 58th and 66th minutes while Troy Tucker netted twice either side of that, in the 52nd and 86th minute, while Lawquan Thomas got the other goal in the 69th minute.