Doomed Boulevard face moment of reckoning
Boulevard will be relegated from the Premier Division if they fail to beat fellow strugglers Somerset Eagles at Goose Gosling Field tomorrow.
In what has been torrid campaign on the field, the club have picked up only four points from 14 matches, having to wait until January to seal their first point, before going on to clinch a first win of the season at the beginning of this month.
Incredibly, despite being rooted to the foot of the table for the majority of the season, the Pembroke-based outfit still had a slim chance of pulling off an incredible turnaround to retain their status ahead of last weekend’s fixtures.
However, the magnitude of the improbable task became all but impossible after they suffered an emphatic 7-2 defeat by champions PHC. The result left Boulevard 12 points adrift of Somerset Trojans and safety, with just four matches remaining, meaning they can only survive on goal difference, provided they win their remaining matches and two from X-Roads, Trojans and Eagles lose theirs.
To make matters worse, Boulevard also have a vastly inferior goal difference to their rivals, having scored only eight goals, while conceding 42 in the process.
Should Eagles, come out of the match victorious tomorrow, any future permutations become redundant for Boulevard, however, victory would extend their stay of execution for another day with remaining fixtures against X-Roads, Dandy Town and Trojans.
Elsewhere, the division’s first match this weekend pits Robin Hood against X-Roads today at Goose Gosling Field, starting at 9pm, with the former desperate to maintain their title challenge, with the chance to reduce the deficit to leaders North Village.
After being held to four successive draws, including rescuing a last-gasp point in a 3-3 stalemate away to Trojans last weekend, second-placed Hood find themselves five points adrift of Village, who are in pole position to be crowned champions for the first time since the 2010-11 season.
Village, who came from a goal behind to clinch what could prove a pivotal 2-1 victory over Dandy Town on Wednesday, not only edged farther ahead of closest rivals Hood, but also extended their cushion over PHC and Town to nine points.
Kenny Thompson’s side can take another step towards the title when they host the struggling Trojans at Bernard Park tomorrow.
In the remaining fixtures, Town, who have a game in hand over the teams around them, host Devonshire Cougars at St John’s Field, while fifth-placed Southampton Rangers meet PHC at Southampton Oval.
In the First Division, St George’s can kick their heels knowing they are promoted as a result of Vasco beating Flanagan’s Onions in a make-up match last Sunday.
Devonshire Colts can join them if they beat Young Men’s Social Club at Southampton Oval tomorrow, or if they match Vasco’s result against Hamilton Parish at Bernard Park.
Elsewhere, Flanagan’s tackle Ireland Rangers at Goose Gosling Field.