Hood edge closer to the drop
Robin Hood 2Dandy Town 3Robin Hood were all but relegated from the Premier Division after two seasons in the top-flight after Dandy Town handed them their 11th loss in 15 league games this season on Saturday night at Goose Gosling Field.The loss, albeit a close one, left Hood with a goal difference of minus-20, compared with minus-10 for Flanagan’s Onions who had 17 points going into yesterday’s match with Southampton Rangers, the most that Hood can amass from their last three games.With their own hopes of defending their title dashed by a loss to North Village last weekend, Town were playing with less pressure and were given a good start when 19-year-old Daeshun Butterfield put them in front in the 22nd minute with his first of two goals on the night. The youngster was put through into the box by a perfect pass from Damon Ming and he had time to put the ball onto his favoured left foot before placing the ball across Timmy Figureido and into the far bottom corner.Another slick move by Town 12 minutes later almost brought a second goal when Lorenzo Symonds was sent through on the right side of the penalty box before his cross to the far post was met by Seion Darrell who couldn’t steer his shot on target.At the other end a turn and volley by Antwan Russell let his former team know that Hood were still in the contest, even though they had to replace player-coach Kyle Lightbourne a minute later with a thigh strain.With on a couple of subs on the bench, the signs weren’t good for Hood at that point but they did get back on level terms in the 59th minute when a Takeyhi Walker cross from the right was met at the far post by Russell who nodded home past Treadwell Gibbons Jr from two yards.Town were back in front immediately when a long range shot from Fabian Frankson was parried by the diving Figureido and Butterfield was quick to follow up and convert the rebound from an angle.Russell continued to look a threat as he put a left footed effort just wide, only to see Town extend their lead two minutes later in the 78th minute when Frankson spotted Figureido off his line and tested him with a lob from 25 yards that hit the crossbar before Caldre Burgess followed up to finish off the move and virtually seal the points.Hood battled to the end and pulled another goal back in the 83rd minute when Jesse Kirkland got on the end of a pass from Russell into the box and steered his shot past Gibbons.Another Town youngster, Tomiko Goater, almost got in on the scoring with the last kick of the game, but the sub put his effort just wide.
