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Grant’s double keeps One Love top of Group 2

-Anderson completes another hat trick for Islanders
David Grant smashed home the equaliser against the Rebels to put his team back in the match against the Rebels and went on to score a second half goal to give them the lead. Photo: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO
Rebels goalkeeper Mervyn Francis is left helpless as David Grants curls in One Love's 2nd goal from a 20-yard free kick. Photo: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO
Rebels goalkeeper Mervyn Francis is left helpless as David Grants curls in One Love's 2nd goal from a 20-yard free kick. Photo: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO
Eric Campbell fires home a dipping swerving volley that left Francis flat footed and made sure of all 3 points for One Love in the 3-1 victory over the Rebels. Photo: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO
Eric Campbell fires home a dipping swerving volley that left Francis flat footed and made sure of all 3 points for One Love in the 3-1 victory over the Rebels. Photo: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO
The goal that wasnt! Carl Stewart fired home what looked like a good goal only to se his effort ruled out for offside during the first half against the Rebels. Photo: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO
The goal that wasnt! Carl Stewart fired home what looked like a good goal only to se his effort ruled out for offside during the first half against the Rebels. Photo: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – Islanders remained unbeaten, One Love overcame the Rebels 3-1 and the Haitian Stars threw away a two goal lead to all but end their hopes of reaching next season’s Premier league in the latest round of action in the National League.

In group one, Islanders made it seven straight wins to stay at the top on 21 points, with a 3 nil cruise over old Madrid courtesy of a Valdo Andersen hat trick. Old Madrid, with 12 points,(or 15)  stay second mainly thanks due to a 6 point deduction handed out to the sugar boys for their miss deeds in the Terry Evans Cup final. The Sugar Boys won 3-1 against East End thanks to a brace from Michael Castillo to be third on 9 points. The Ballstars were on 9 following a forfeit win against East End earlier in the season, but that is now being reviewed by the competitions committee.

The outcome of that review and indeed the result of a match, if replayed, could well decide which of the Ballstars, East End or the Sugar Boys qualify for the 2013’14 Premier League as a third place finisher.

East End contested that they were not informed of an earlier start time for their match against the Ballstars and so should not be penalized for their late arrival and subsequent forfeiture of the game.

From both groups the top two qualify for the equivalent of last year’s Heineken cup and the top three make next seasons esoterically named premier division.

Meanwhile In group 2, One love cemented top spot with a 3-1 win over the Rebels, thanks to a  two goal salvo from David Grant and an icing on the cake effort from Eric Campbell. Hilton Matthew had given the rebels the lead in just the second minute of the game before One Love had what appeared to be a perfectly good equalizer from Carl Stewart ruled out for offside. However, Grant soon leveled the match with a powerful half volley that gave Merv “the Swerve” Francis no chance of a save.

In the second half, One Love dominated proceedings but it wasn’t until the final ten minutes that the Rebels defense cracked again. Grant firing an unstoppable 20 yard free kick from out on the left that curled inside the right hand post leaving Francis flapping at thin air. Campbell settled matters with another superb long distance strike that swerved and dipped on Francis and left him flat footed as it nestled into the net.

“We started out a bit rough and complacent, but got ourselves together to equalize. The second half was all us and we dominated the game totally to win. We set our stall to win everything this year and are well on the way,” stated Manager/Coach Marc Savage.

The Panthers stay in the hunt to reach the new high tier of local football following a hard fought 2-2 draw with the Haitians who really had to win to stand any chance of progression. Ricardo Lynch and Cleon Griffin gave the Haitians a 2-0 lead before Colin Olivierre and Odain Thompson leveled things up deep in the second period. “The equalizer was a relief, we preserved, came away with a point and could have won it at the end,” commented Thompson. “The next two games are really big, we play One Love and then the Wolues and if we can be on top of our game for those two and stay positive then we can reach the qualification spots to keep the season going.”

The Wolues had a straight forward 3-1 win against VG United to give them a 3 point cushion in second place.

The latest standings were released by the BVIFA but will now have to be reviewed since two or three teams have questioned the records.

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