Lawrence Trott

Promotion pacesetters Somerset Eagles and Flanagan’s Onions have a seven-point cushion after comfortable wins yesterday while BAA Wanderers, third, suffered defeat at Wellington Oval.

First Division leaders Eagles smashed six past visiting X-Roads Warriors at White Hill Field to remain firmly on course for promotion.

Nathan Rego and Kanhai Fray led the onslaught with two goals apiece while Khimo Harrison and Geno Smith also got their names onto the scoresheet in the 6-0 rout.

The only blemish to Eagles’ eighth league win of the season, which kept them ahead of Onions on goal difference, was the loss of top-scorer Rego to a shoulder injury early in the second half.

The CedarBridge student was taken to hospital where he was treated for damaged ligaments before being released. He is now doubtful for his team’s next league match against BAA at Goose Gosling Field on Saturday.

Eagles took the lead in the first half through a brilliant solo run from Fray who dribbled past three defenders before rolling the ball past the goalkeeper.

Harrison made it 2-0 when he picked the pocket of a defender and chipped the goalkeeper from just outside of the 18-yard box. Eagles pulled further ahead when Rego turned in Anwar Telford’s pull back from close range.

Rego then grabbed a second in stunning fashion, gaining possession deep in X-Roads’ territory, riding a tackle and then smashing home with aplomb from 18 yards out to give his team a 4-0 lead at the interval.

Unfortunately, Rego’s afternoon was cut short early in the second half after he injured his shoulder and was substituted. Eagles banged in two more goals in Rego’s absence to heap more misery on the visiting side.

Smith made it 5-0 when he tapped in from close range from a set piece.

Fray then notched his second goal of the match with a downward header from Rashaun Seaman’s cross in the middle to put the icing on Eagle’s emphatic victory.

Onions continued their promotion push with a 4-1 victory at home to Young Men’s Social Club at Goose Gosling Field.

Social Club took the lead through Nigue Armstrong on 14 minutes before Onions levelled in the 33rd minute when wing back Bron Turner found the net.

Midfielder Pete Robey pulled Onions ahead a minute later to give the home side a 2-1 half-time lead.

After the break striker Treshun Smith scored two goals, in the 73rd and 84th minutes, to hand Onions a comfortable win.

St George’s kept their slim promotion hopes alive when they climbed from sixth to fourth after their 1-0 win over BAA at Wellington Oval. Midfielder Kyle Denbrook scored the game’s only goal ten nine minutes from the end when his inswinging free kick into the box from the right side bounced before going in at the far post.

Evan Heyliger committed the foul on the corner of the box when he pulled back David Signor and was booked.

BAA had the majority of the second-half pressure before St George’s stepped up late in the match to snatch the win. They move ahead of St David’s and Young Men’s Social Club and level with BAA on 22 points.

Ten-men Paget Lions recorded their third league win of the season after edging past last-placed Ireland Rangers 3-2 at Southampton Oval.

Jahmori Beach put Paget ahead in the 31st minute before Y’Ron Astwood doubled the home side’s lead 12 minutes later to send them into the dressing at the interval with a two-goal cushion.

Ireland Island Rangers finally got a foothold in the match when Keija Simmons cut the deficit three minutes into the second half.

The visiting side’s joy was short-lived, however, as Kushae Hypolite restored Paget’s two-goal advantage in the 55th minute.

Paget were reduced to ten-men in the 58th minute when Astwood was sent off after receiving a second booking for dissent.

Ireland Rangers cashed in on their numerical advantage when Jahnai Rattery pulled another goal back for the visiting side in the 73rd minute to make it 3-2 and set-up a nervous finish.

However, that is as close as Rangers would get as Paget held on to the win and avenge a 5-2 defeat to their opponents in the first league meeting in October. That remains Rangers’ only win in the league this season.