Dogs dump rivals Hood to stay on top
 

Tuff Dogs are in pole position going into the Christmas break after beating title rivals Robin Hood 2-1 in Commercial A Division action at the weekend.
Dogs tore into their opponents from the opening whistle and deservedly went ahead in the 15th minute when Hood failed to clear a cross from the right and Harry Andrews poked the ball home from close range seconds after going close with a header.
However, Andrews turned from hero to villain when he gifted the resurgent Hood an equaliser five minutes after the restart when he played a ball across his own defence. It was pounced on by the onrushing Paul McCluskey who ran for 15 yards before hitting an unstoppable angled drive into the far corner from just outside the box.
But Dogs immediately responded with a second from a right wing corner which was put away by Quinton Burgess at the back post.
Hood created some good chances and had a shot cleared off the line by Geoff Sousa but Dogs deservedly took the points and joint top spot in the league with two games in hand.
BAA Wanderers are behind on goal difference after beating North Village Rams 3-1. Two late goals decided a tense battle at Bernard Park.
A Gary Stewart shot crept in at the near post to put BAA ahead on 20 minutes and they looked comfortable until North Village sprung BAA’s offside trap and scored from a one on one. Village were the stronger side to start the second half, and wasted a couple of good chances before another Stewart goal and a Gary Wilson tap-in after good work from Dave Gibbs saw BAA home in the last 15 minutes.
Lobster Pot are celebrating after beating MR Onions, the team they describe as their nemesis, for the first time since January, 2000 despite missing mercurial winger Saleem Mukuddem.
Onions had the better of a pedestrian first half but Pot dominated the second. Jean-Paul Dyer streaked down the right side and chipped Onions stand-in ‘keeper Jason Roberts who had come off his line. Pot’s leading goalscorer Dave Allison wrapped it up with another chip.
Key West hammered Devonshire All-Stars 7-1 at Shelly Bay. Craig Crichlow opened the scoring in the eighth minute, followed by a fine hat-trick by Rangers’ leading goalscorer Sergio Griffin. Soon after the break Earl (Votos) Richardson made it 5-0 after heading home a cross.
In the 65th minute All-Stars’ Kenny Burns scored from a penalty after Patrick Richardson handled. But in the 75th minute Ricky Mallory fired a volley home from the edge of the box while goalie Michael Higgs switched positions with Sergio Griffin for the last 15 minutes and completed the rout.
St. George’s All Stars celebrated their first points of the season with a 2-1 victory over PHC, grabbed in the dying minutes. PHC’s Albert Thomas scored early in the second half but St. George’s levelled minutes later through Lionel Cann who then snatched the winner.
In the B Division, Valley brushed aside Pest Control with a 3-0 victory in their seemingly unstoppable march to promotion. Mark Bourne latched onto a through ball to get the first and Chevone Armstrong scored direct from a corner for the third. But the goal of the game was Kevin Issacs’ superbly struck 40-yard free kick.
Dockyard Falcons remain in second after a competitive 2-2 draw with Prison Officers. Dwayne DeRosa notched for Falcons after 33 minutes but Officers equalised three minutes later through Reginald Pitcher. Falcons thought they had bagged all three points after DeRosa got his second early in the second half but with two minutes remaining Aaron Adams levelled it.
Devonshire took the number three spot off Vasco after beating them with goals from Anthony Amory and Kirk Douglas while Darren Booth was on target for Vasco.
Somerset Extros did themselves no favours by turning up to play Wolves with just seven men and no recognised ‘keeper. To make matters worse the author of this column injured himself in the warm-up and was forced to go in goal after 20 minutes.
Comedy ‘keeping ensued and helped Wolves to an easy 8-1 victory with two goals from Cecil Richardson and one each from Jamie Robert, Shannon Tuzo, Casey Burgess, Kevin Hendrickson, Randy Swan, Chico Trott and Mark Tankard. Everett Wellman got Extros’ consolation while the visitors also hit the woodwork and had a penalty saved.
Prospect/Fire also turned up for their game at Somerset Bridge with seven men and referee Ronue Cann lost patience with both sides not being ready for kick-off so abandoned the game.
Brief match reports including full names of scorers gratefully received by Monday lunchtimes to: mtaylorroyalgazette.bm.