St George’s Colts 2 Robin Hood 1

St George’s made a huge stride up the league table this afternoon, albeit temporarily, with a crucial victory over Robin Hood at Wellington Oval.

The home side took an early lead through striker Jarazinho Bassett and went farther ahead when Tre McCallum scored on the stroke of half-time.

Robin Hood were able to pull one back late in the second half, but St George’s coach Jarreau Hayward was happy to see his team maintain their defensive solidarity and secure a result that moved them up five places to fourth on goal difference going into the Sunday kick-offs.

“Even though we were up two goals in the first half, we struggled to find a rhythm,” Hayward said.

“After a few adjustments, we were a little better in the second half and, although we conceded, I thought we did well to manage the game against a well-organised Robin Hood team.”

It was a pivotal game for both teams, who entered the match with identical records, sitting only a point outside the relegation places. St George’s got off to the dream start they were looking for when Bassett pounced on a fortuitous deflection on the edge of the box, steadied himself and fired low into the corner to put the hosts up early.

Despite going down, Hood maintained their composure and were able to get a foothold on the match, allowing them to create openings. Niyan Outerbridge was in behind on a couple of occasions but could not find the final pass and Jaylon Bather had his shot from the edge of the box saved well by Zeko Burgess.

Hood’s best chance would come on the half-hour mark when Che Brangman found Tajai Goater with a through-pass, but Burgess was off his line early to cut the angle and block the young winger’s shot.

St George’s were always a threat with the lively Bassett making runs in between the defensive lines, and it would be his dummy on the edge of the box that froze the Hood defence, allowing McCallan to walk into the box unmarked and finish past Mataeo Holder in the Hood goal.

Although McCallan needed to be replaced through injury at the half, St George’s came out the brighter team and had a couple of clear-cut chances to get a third to kill off the game.

First, Bassett shot wide in a two-on-one situation when the better option would have been to pass. He made amends moments later, this time making the correct decision to find Osagi Bascome all alone inside the box, but the Bermuda midfielder’s shot was saved by the feet of Holder.

This kept Hood in the match and they continued to press and eventually found the net in the 88th minute, when substitute Shannon Burchall beat Burgess with a well-struck volley from just inside the box.

It was too little, too late at this point and St George’s held out for the final whistle.

SCORERS

St George’s: Bassett 4, McCallan 44

Robin Hood: Burchall 88

TEAMS

St George’s (4-2-3-1): Z Burgess 7 — A Francis 6, P Anderson 6, T Burgess 5, J Darrell 5 — D Signor 5 (sub: G Wade, 63min 5), O Bascome 5 — T McCallan 6 (sub: E Signor, 46 5), J Daniels 5 (sub: D Darrell, 79), L Dill 5 — J Bassett 7 (sub: S Blaire-Paynter 69 5). Substitutes not used: W Broadley, K Ottley.

Robin Hood (4-2-3-1): M Holder — D Cook 5, D Leverock 6, C Robinson 5, K Knights 4 — J Bather 6, K Naylor 5 — A Simons 5 (sub: S Burchall, 79), A Nelson 4, T Goater 5 (sub: N Outerbridge, 68 5) — C Brangman 6. Substitutes not used: C Ricca, T Bean, M Fullertin, D Lyelu. Booked: Brangman.

Referee: G Swainson.