X-Roads 2 Dandy Town 7

Dandy Town stretched their lead at the top of the Premier Division to ten points when they put seven past X-Roads for the second time this season in their match at Garrison Field yesterday.

After taking a comfortable 6-0 lead into the half, it would have been a fair bet that Town would go on to record the season’s biggest victory, beating the 9-0 win Robin Hood recorded over Southampton Rangers on November 6.

However, Town took their foot off the pedal in the second half as X-Roads, with a double substitution at the start of the second half, played with more determination after the restart and even outscored their opponents.

Cecoy Robinson led the Town scoring with a second straight hat-trick following his treble in the 5-0 win over Southampton Rangers on New Year’s Day, as Town also became the leading scorers in the division with 32 goals from eleven matches.

Winger Kamali Davis, who started the scoring off in the eighth minute, was a constant threat down the left flank as he scored two goals and made it a tough first half for right back Tyquan Perinchief before he was substituted at half time.

“The first half we played excellent, there was nothing else we could ask for, but in the second half we took our foot off the pedal and let them back in the game,” captain Angelo Simmons admitted.

“We’re just happy we got the three points and that we keep on moving, taking one game at a time and focusing. It can only get better for us.”

On a weekend which saw three of the five matches postponed, Town knew it was an opportunity to extend their lead over PHC and Devonshire Cougars.

The match was over as a contest after Town put six goals past the X-Roads goalkeeper, Q’Shai Darrell, in the first half.

Davis broke the deadlock in the eighth minute when a pass sent him through on the left before he got past the fullback and into the box before firing past Darrell from six yards.

Davis also had a hand in the second goal seven minutes later when after the ball wasn’t cleared inside the box, he laid off a pass into the middle of the box where Robinson drove a low shot past the goalkeeper.

X-Roads, who edged Somerset Eagles 4-3 last weekend, had an effort from Aaron Spencer ruled out for offside midway through the half, before Davis struck again for Town a few minutes later to make it 3-0.

Davis got through on the left again and cut in on his right foot before smashing his shot past Darrell from inside the box.

The goals kept coming as Town found another gear to double their lead with three goals in the final five minutes of the half.

First, Simmons converted from the penalty spot after fullback Jomei Bean-Lindo was fouled by Jah-Von Morgan, after he joined an attack down the left.

The left side produced another goal for Town two minutes later when Bean-Lindo got clear of the defender and laid off a good ball into the box for Robinson to score his second of the match.

Simmons went close to scoring again two minutes later when he was set up inside the box before blasting inches over the crossbar. However, Town did complete the first half six-pack a minute later when Tomiko Goater got in on the scoring.

The second half looked slightly different as X-Roads, bringing on Raekwon Hare and Daniel Baker for Perinchief and Morgan, looked a more determined side after the restart.

And though Malai Perott in the Town goal was given more to do than in the first half, it was Town who scored again in the 66th minute.

Robinson followed up on a blocked save from Darrell at the feet of Davis to complete his hat-trick.

X-Roads then scored twice through striker Marcus Johnson to finally give their fans something to cheer about.

Seconds after Town made another double substitution, X-Roads pulled one back when Johnson scored in a one-on-one with the goalkeeper after a ball into the box put him clear.

Simmons wasted another good chance at the other end, this time lifting a left-footed effort over the bar from eight yards, before Tre Manders saw his effort from 23 yards hit the upright.

Johnson scored again in the 88th minute, shooting past Perott after a Spencer pass put him through into the box before he scored with a left-footed shot from an angle.

“I could have gotten two more but the main thing is to keep going, the goals are going to come for all of us,” Simmons stressed.

“It was always the game plan to jump on them early, play high pressure and it worked. We just have to keep doing it, putting away teams early.”

SCORERS

X-Roads: Johnson 78, 88

Dandy Town: Davis 8, 29; Robinson 15, 40, 66; Simmons 38, Goater 43

TEAMS

X-Roads (4-4-2): Q Darrell 5 ‒T Perinchief 4 (sub: D Baker 46, 6), J Furbert 6, T Daniels 6, R Beek 5 ‒ J Costa 6 (sub: N Cooper 88), J Minks 5 (sub: Z McCarter 68, 5), J Morgan 5 (sub: R Hare 46, 16), J Hartman 6 ‒ M Johnson 7, A Spencer 6. Booked: Costa. Substitutes not used: T Brangman, T Lowe.

Dandy Town (4-3-3): M Perott ‒ E Blankendal 6, T Webb 6, E Moore 6, J Bean-Lindo 6 ‒ N Spence 6 (sub: E Swan 60, 6), T Goater 6 (sub: D Scraders 70, 6), T Manders 6 ‒ A Simmons 6, C Robinson 7 (sub: J Samuels 77), K Davis 7 (sub: M Mello-Cann 77). Substitutes not used: J Rosser, M Isaac.

Referee: M Wyer