By Neto Baptiste
Only goal difference separates the top two in the Antigua Premier League (APL) after defending champions, All Saints United battled to a 1-1 draw with former champions Old Road FC when they met in the Antigua and Barbuda Football Association (ABFA) competition on Sunday.
Playing at the FA’s Technical Center on the Sir Sydney Walling Highway, United, ironically, scored both goals in the match but only walked away with a solitary point. The All Saints men fell behind in the 29th minute when Roneba Cordice inadvertently put the ball into the back of his own net to record an own-goal.
Old Road, with all 11 players getting behind the ball, managed to hold off United’s attacks for another 54 minutes but substitute Vaughn Jackson Jr found a crack in the Old Road defence in minute 83 to draw his team level.
The point moves United to 26 after 10 matches, the same as former champions and rivals Grenades FC. United however, boast a superior goal difference of positive 31 to that of Grenades’ positive 15. Old Road edge to 17 points form nine matches following the draw.
Also on Sunday, FC Aston Villa continued their great form with a 4-3 win over Attacking Saints.
The Villa men were three-nil up within the first 35 minutes of play with goals from Kwame Kirby in the 11th and Jahlanie Barzey in the 28th and 34th. They were however, reduced to 10 men in the 30th minute after Dajari Barthley was shown straight red by referee Ken Pennyfeather.
Eli Green pulled a goal back for Attacking Saints in the 35th minute before Rick Gordon further narrowed the gap with a 48th minute strike to make it 3-2. Just 20 minutes later, Saints also found themselves down a man after Omri Simpson was also shown red by referee Pennyfeather.
Villa seized the opportunity to record a fourth when, two minutes following Simpson’s red, Eroy Gonsalves shook the back of the opponent’s net to send his team 4-2 up. An own-goal by Jahwanda George in the dying stages of the contest, handed Saints their third goal of the match.
The win pushes Villa to 21 points from nine matches and third on the 12-team standings while Saints remains on 10 points after 10 outings.
In Sunday’s other contest, John Hughes picked up only their second win in 10 matches with a one-nil triumph over newcomers Ottos Rangers. Dashawn Plunkett scored the only goal of the match when he struck in minute 37.
The win lifts John Hughes to seven points from 10 showings and third from bottom on the standings while Rangers remains on second from bottom with just four points from their 10 matches.