<Bz65>Roots fail to capitalise on Key West's slip-up
Only Dandy Town Roots can stop Key West Rangers from retaining their Commercial League title as the season goes into its final full week.
Key West took only a point against lowly Robin Hood but Dandy Town Roots failed to capitalise as they could not kill off North Village Rams. Hood drew first blood against champions Key West with a second-half goal from Brian Atkinson but Key West clawed themselves in front with strikes from Karl Roberts and Wayne Augustus only to see Kenny Dill grab an equaliser with 15 minutes to go. Atkinson was given his marching orders for a serious foul while Rangers’ Steven Mendes was also dismissed for a second booking.
Dandy Town Roots failed to gain any leverage on leaders Key West when they were held 1-1 by North Village Rams. The Roots knew only a win would help them keep pace with Key West and they took the lead midway through the first half when Darron Simons smashed the ball home from 12 yards after good interchanging play left the striker alone in the box.
Rams almost equalised late in the first half when Damon Wade went past his marker only for the Roots’ keeper to go full length and push the effort around the post.
Roots should have increased their lead early in the second half and Wade made them pay as he collected the ball at the halfway line, went past his marker, out-sprinted the other defenders before slotting the ball home. Roots had three penalty appeals waved off by the referee and in injury time, Village thought they had won the game when a striker was put through on a break-away only for the referee to blow for offside.
Roots play BAA on Saturday but have yet to hear when their game in hand against Robin Hood will be played.
Former Champions MR Onions lie second but could prove kingmaker when they play their last game of the season against Key West on Saturday. Onions secured their sixth successive win on Saturday in a game that was overshadowed by a serious ankle injury to PHC’s Stephen Trott. Onions dominated the early play but PHC took the lead after 20 minutes when Sheridan Ming scored with a well-placed shot into the bottom right-hand corner from just inside the box. Onions quickly equalised when a Nigel Forrester free-kick found Phil Anderson who beat the keeper with an excellent shot from 20 yards out.
Shortly before half-time a reckless tackle from Forrester left Trott with his foot broken in three places and the game was delayed for around 40 minutes while an ambulance was sent from town after the Clearwater ambulance suffered a puncture. Forrester was sent-off for the tackle. The second half was an even affair but Onions snatched the win ten minutes from time when Rael Coen powered in a header from a Steve Woodward corner.
Lobster Pot needed a win to make sure of their survival in Commercial A and responded with the emphatic 3-0 trouncing of lacklustre BAA, despite missing several key players. Chuckwooma Woods, utilising his dribbling skills, provided a decent delivery that was volleyed ferociously in by Marek Noha who then gobbled up the rebound when it was blocked on the line.
Noha, playing in midfield rather than his customary sweeper role, then converted a Martin Godley cross in the second half while Gary Richardson wrapped it up by getting on the end of a Taurianno Trott cross. The relegation clash between Island XI and Tuff Dogs was postponed due to a bereavement in the Island XI camp.
Following a mid-week win against Boulevard, Somerset Extros are now top of the B league after beating Vasco 4-2. Anthony Burchall grabbed a hat-trick while Mark Grant got one for a dominant Extros. Vasco Mariners picked up their game in the second half and scored via Joe Barrosso and Ricardo Arruda but, by wasting chances, handed all the points to Extros.
St. George’s All-Stars are now two points behind Extros after beating Pest Control 4-1. All-Stars had racked up a 2-0 half-time lead with goals scored by Kenny Pearman and Andrew Richardson but Pest Control reduced the arrears at the beginning of the second half with a brilliantly struck free kick from Shane Hollis.
The ensuing action remained close but All-Stars restored their two-goal lead with a well-worked goal converted by sub Brent Minors. The game was sealed when Delbert Minors’ well taken corner was beautifully headed into goal by Kenneth Bartram.
Valley lie third after a walk-over against Devonshire Lions while Boulevard hammered Somerset Bridge Peskies 10-3. Easton Joell, Mitchell Trott and Michael Pond all grabbed hat-tricks while Cleve Rodgers got one. Michael Nisbett, Jerome Richards and Kirk Simons were on target for Peskies. Winless Prospect/Fire went down 4-0 to Devonshire All-Stars.
