Wanchai Spartans firmly threw their hat into the ring for the division one title race with seven games now played as they gave their rivals Soho a drubbing in the Spartans derby. In what the Soho gaffa labelled an embarrassing performance, Wanchai were in the mood and were 3-0 up by half time. Playing some silky stuff, and with clearly a strong squad available on the day- Stef Kelly’s side added another six in the second half, the only blemish being that they conceded to Tyler Rattray; scant consolation for Soho. Bagging the goals for Wanchai were Ali Thompson with a hat-trick, Yann Guermeur with a brace and a goal apiece for Moses Wu, Marcus McMillan, Adam Scott and Jack Ogden. The win moves Sparts up to fifth, four points off the top despite losing three of their first four games.
Also on the coat tails of the leaders are Club Tropicana, who overcame a resilient and youthful KCC Cavs side recording a one nil success, and a first clean sheet of the season. The goal was route one at its best as MOM in goal for Tropics Barney Shaw punted a kick up field that bounced once, then saw Kyle Wagner nod it over the advancing KCC keeper. No-one would have predicted that after eight minutes, this would be the only goal of the game- but so it proved with Tropics ultimately deserving the points with a dogged defensive showing, but not without riding their luck and a late world class save low to the left from Shaw. Tropics too had their fair share of chances and were denied a blatant penalty in the first half but will take confidence from the performance that leaves them third on 14 points, two off the top.
The top two remain DBFC and Scottish Stags respectively, the former on top courtesy of a better goal difference of three as both sides secured narrow successes on Saturday. Discovery Bay won 2-1 against a well-organized and physical Scottish Eagles team on the small pitch at Ocean Park. Krisna Korani and Leo Prederi scored for DB but Eagles fought back after the break and despite George Fenwick’s goal, they couldn’t find an equalizer. Scottish Stags handed J-Leaguers another defeat courtesy of a goal in the first few minutes with Ned Buck netting from a corner. J-League then grew into the game but failed to find the killer instinct in the final third thanks to resolute defending from the Stags. The lads from Japan are second bottom with a gap of four points to make up on the sides above them.
One of those sides on seven points is Goodfellas, who overcame Corinthians 3-2 but the score-line perhaps flattered Cors a touch according to the Fellas gaffa, who felt that both penalties awarded to the oppo were dubious. Fellas had gone one up through a great turn and finish from Sam Millar, but Anthony Juenko slotted the first pen to equalize. Into the second half and Goodfellas upped the ante, first scoring from a corner then getting their third of the game on the break, Millar getting his second while Ed French also notched. The main talking point of the game came ten minutes from the end as the Fellas CB received his marching orders and a penalty awarded, despite seemingly being outside of the area. Jurenko made no mistake from the spot, but Fellas’ 10 men held on for the win.
In the first game to take place over the weekend, Irish Harps gave HK Krauts a hiding with a convincing 4-1 win in TKO to leapfrog the Germans in the table and move into 4th place in the table, four points off the top. In a tough game, Harps made the most of their chances and were 2-0 up at half-time with goals from Ian Killoughery and Luke Moynagh. Despite Krauts playing better after the break, the Irish were efficient in front of goal adding two more thanks to Ronan O’Boyle and an OG. This weekend sees Stags play Goodfellas on Friday while on Saturday it’s Soho v Irish, Japan v Germany, Cors v DB and Tropics v Eagles before Wanchai Sparts go to KCC Cavs on Monday. All to play for….
