Robin Hood were determined to prove the critics wrong on Saturday after rivals had confidently predicted they would fail to pick up a seventh successive Commercial A title this season.

But despite a frantic first 20 minutes against MR Onions, the game ended in a predictable 0-0 draw while last season?s challengers Tuff Dogs and Lobster Pot both picked up wins.

Three of the last four meetings between Hood and Onions have ended goalless and Saturday?s dour clash was no different.

Hood dominated possession for most of the game but failed to create clear cut chances and were largely restricted to long range shots by a solid Onions defence.

Onions? best effort was a Chris Fleming header cleared off the line by Alan Mooney.

Tuff Dogs issued a warning to the rest of the league with a 7-2 victory over newly-promoted Somerset Bridge Peskies.

Despite fielding a squad which was missing four first-team regulars including their previous season?s top goal scorer, Jeff Franklin, Dogs took a commanding 5-1 lead by the end of the first half.

Chris Rodrigues capped a fine run on the left hand side which left three defenders in his wake before hammering the ball into the upper right hand corner. Nathan Brown then added the first goal of his first-half hat-trick by tapping in a flick from Stephen Troake.

Bridge took advantage of a defensive mix-up to nick a goal against the run of play through Jerome Richards.

However, when Dogs added a third through Carlos Lopes the momentum was clearly back in their favour. Nathan Brown rounded off his hat-trick, netting twice before the half-time whistle.

Peskies started the second half the better team and dominated the opening minutes, managing to pull another goal back through Troy Smith. But Dogs took an even tighter grip on the match when Chris Rodrigues added his second and Nelson Almeida came off the bench to round off the 7-2 victory.

Lobster Pot started with a bang with a 3-1 triumph over BAA with goals by Dave Allison either side of half-time and a strike by Pot new boy Joe Carolo. Pot should have won by a larger margin but wasteful finishing kept BAA in the game.

BAA scored through Ryan MacCay just after half-time.

North Village beat Devonshire Rec Lions 3-2 through goals from Kenny Thompson, Dwayne Leverock and Dana Martin while Rec netted through Dwayne Bean and Philip Clarke.

Valley twice came from behind to draw 2-2 with PHC with goals from Jonathan Eve and James Tyrell evening up two goals from PHC?s Matthew Wade.

Key West sat out Saturday?s opening games, being the odd team out in an eleven-team division.

There were goals galore in the B Division with new boys Dandy Town Roots walloping Prison Officers 19-0 although in the first 20 minutes Officers (who were playing with 10 men) offered stubborn resistance. On the scoresheet were Darren Simons with a hat-trick as well as Tommy (Dipper) Raynor, Didi Millett, Walter Musson, Michael Wells, Sean Smith, Don Lewis, Dwayne Brangman, Wylie Rudo, Lloyd Christopher and Eugene Symonds.

Had it not been for the heroics of Prison Officers goalkeeper Donald Norford, the final result might have been 30-plus.

The division?s two other new teams were due to play each other but Boulevard were awarded a 3-0 walkover after Hamilton Parish Workmen?s Club failed to raise a team.

Pest Control walloped Wolves 6-2 at Shelly Bay. Pest were unlucky to enter half-time only one goal up, courtesy of striker Macai Bean. Wolves levelled shortly after the break with Cecil Hendriksson floating a sweet 30-yarder over the head of Pest?s custodian Henry Young.

But Pest Control roared back with a quick goal from substitute Anthony Francis and soon stretched their lead through midfield dynamo Damon Smith.

Wolves refused to lay down and Shannon Tuzo finally beat the offside trap and to make the affair interesting again. Wolves were then gifted penalty but Henry Young pulled off a full length save and instantly released Anthony Francis to score his second of the day and break the Wolves resistance before veteran Elvis Edness tapped in from close range.

Two goals from Dean Martin and single strikes from Warren Bundy and Wendell (Woodgate) Simmons helped Prospect/Fire edge out Somerset Extros 4-3 in an enjoyable encounter at Shelly Bay.

Extros were soon heavily behind but came storming back to hit the woodwork on several occasions. Kent Simmons celebrated his 40th birthday with a fine strike for Extros who also scored through Matt Taylor and a Mike Corday penalty but Prospect held on.

Goals from Andrew Bento, Mick Smith and Dana Martin helped Vasco Mariners triumph 3-2 over Dockyard Falcons who scored through Joe Pacheco and Sean Symonds.

The two relegated teams played each other with St. George?s All Stars triumphing 4-1 over Devonshire All Stars. Scorers? names were not available.

Want to improve this column? Send brief match reports with scorers? full names and match highlights to mtaylorroyalgazette.bm by 2 p.m. Monday.