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Wins for Wolues & Rebels tighten up National League Gp. 2

Two successful spot kicks from Matthew Moss ensured the Wolues went home with 3 points against the Haitian Stars. Photo: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO
Merv
Merv "the swerve" Francis forecast a win and kept the Panthers at bay during the Saturday January 25, 2013 3-0 group 2 win for the Rebels F.C. Photo: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO
Joel Williams followed up his winner against the Wolues with a double salvo against the Panthers to keep the Rebels on tarck for Premier League status. Photo: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO
Joel Williams followed up his winner against the Wolues with a double salvo against the Panthers to keep the Rebels on tarck for Premier League status. Photo: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO
Sezzie Ells was the inspiration for East End as they recorded just their second win of the camaign, 1-0 against the Ballstars. Photo: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO
Sezzie Ells was the inspiration for East End as they recorded just their second win of the camaign, 1-0 against the Ballstars. Photo: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI -The weekend results had little effect on Group 1 in the National league as the Islanders secured their seventh consecutive victory with a 2-0 win over the Sugar Boys, which means they stay well clear of the pack in the race for next season’s split divisions, including a Premier League .

The top 3 from the group will be joined by the top 3 from group 2 to form a new top tier of domestic football whilst the remaining teams will form a division 1 (although it is yet to be named).

Currently, Islanders have 21 points ahead of the Sugar Boys and Old Madrid on 12. The Ballstars could have entered the promotion spots, but after a 1-0 defeat by East End on Sunday January 27, 2013 they find themselves 3 points adrift whilst the East End team may have given themselves a glimmer of hope, doubling their points tally for the season to 6.

East End scored the only goal of the game through a quickly taken free kick, which caught the Ballstars napping defensively. Suedane Pope was the quick thinking player who laid a perfect pass into the path of St Elmore Garraway, who made no mistake and gave Maxcell Dabreo in goal no chance.

Troy Cesar, Kairon Branch Durant and William Green had squandered guilt edge chances to open the scoring for the Ballstars, but each found Sezzie Ells an impenetrable force between the uprights. Ells in fact would keep the Ballstars at bay for the entire 90 plus minutes, especially in the second half when he pulled off great saves to thwart Cesar again, Trevon Mongra at least twice, Anthony Francis and Alvin St Ville.

Garraway proved equally profligate against Dabreo as he had two clear cut chances to put the game beyond doubt only to find the Ballstars keeper up to the task on each occasion.

In group 2, One Love reclaimed top spot with a 1-0 “away” win over on Virgin Gorda against the yet to get off the mark VG United team.  The Wolues had overtaken them courtesy of a 2-1 win earlier in the day at the A.O. Shirley Ground against the Haitian Stars. However, One Love now have 16 points, the Wolues sit second on goal difference, 13 and the Rebels are 3rd, also on 13 points following their 3-0 defeat of the Panthers on Saturday. The Panthers began the weekend in second place, but now find themselves out of the promotion places in 4th. The Haitians have 6 points and VG Utd. zero.

Merv “the swerve” Francis had been in imperious form between the sticks for the Rebels who had an opener from Damian Joseph and a two goal salvo from Joel Williams to thank for securing a hard fought nervous victory. “Before the game I told the Panthers they wouldn’t beat us again and I was right!” exclaimed Francis. “Our defense is working together better now and the strikers are scoring so we are full of optimism for the coming games.”

The first half had ended deadlocked until Joseph netted early in the second and despite an onslaught of the Rebels goal, victory was secured by Williams. His double came within 5 minutes of each other, but Francis was still called upon to pull off some flying saves and blocks right up to the final whistle to keep the 3 goal cushion.

Williams, who is finally finding his scoring touch after a barren period and now has 3 in the last two, admitted they were relieved after the Panthers had dominated large periods of play. “We made some mistakes in the middle, but the guys need to come together and distribute the ball better.”

Qualification to the Premier League is very important to the Rebels and, as Williams explained, “it opens doors on sponsorship possibilities and allows for further strengthening of the team.”

The Wolues had also found themselves under intense pressure from the resurgent Haitian Stars until ultimately claiming all 3 points due to a brace of calmly executed penalty kicks from Matthew Moss.

His first came in the first half after Daniel Phillip had spilled a harmless looking shot from the Wolues, but tripped Declan Cassidy as they both raced for the rebound. Despite a long pause, whilst the referee dealt with some over enthusiastic protests from the Haitians, Moss had no trouble in firing home.

The Wolues though were struggling to control the game and it was of little surprise when the Haitians drew level half way through the second period. A Reuben Stoby free kick from the edge of the Wolues box appeared to be wasted as he struck it straight at the defensive wall, but the Wolues failed to clear their lines and the ball found its way into the net past Andrew Seekts in goal.

The winner though, came in the dying seconds of the game and again from the boot of Moss from 12 yards. Gregory Atime allegedly fouled Moss as they challenged for a cross and although Atime proclaimed his innocence he was rewarded with his second yellow card of the game for the foul and his marching orders whilst Moss, on the other hand, salvaged all 3 points for the Wolues to cap a lackluster affair and send them briefly to the top of the division.

“We made hard work of it,” he said “the conditions didn’t help out there, the pitch just seems to get worse and worse, week in and week out. We were in 2nd gear throughout the 90 minutes and if we had started to play football it would have been a lot easier. We didn’t have to leave it late, but sometimes you do.”

His comments on the standard of the pitch will hopefully be eradicated before next season, but there are many other issues for the BVIFA to take care of if the Premier League is to be something more than just a title.

The lack of qualified Officials is stretching resources especially with games on VG. There were no 4th Officials available for Sunday’s games on Tortola, so that is a matter of some urgency for the F.A. to address. Gone too is the pre-game FIFA Anthem, refreshments for the crowd seem to be on an ad hoc basis, entrance fees from spectators are collected rarely, ball boys have disappeared and the use of lights remain an issue.

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