Empire, Cosmos step up Premier League bid

Mon, April 30, 2012 - 12:02 AM

Empire and Cosmos have stepped up their bid for a place in next year’s Digicel Premier League.

The Bank Hall-based Empire gave the struggling Indar Weir Travel Centre Clarke’s Hill the “blues” with a 4-0 blanking in the latest series of Division One football matches on Friday.

The win allowed Empire to stay two points clear at the top of the standings on 26 points from 13 matches, while Clarke’s Hill are rooted at the bottom on 11 points.

Cosmos remained in second on 24 points with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over early leaders Silver Sands, who have now slipped to fifth place on 19 points.

The University of the West Indies (UWI) are also in the running for promotion to the Premiership with 22 points, despite drawing 1-1 with lowly Deacons (13 points, 12 games).

Fourth-placed Crane & Equipment Ellerton (20 points, 12 games) suffered a major setback when they narrowly lost 1-0 to Benfica, who have moved away from the relegation zone with 15 points from 12 matches.

In an all-Christ Church battle, Maxwell edged Parish Land 2-1 but remained in the danger area on 13 points, while Road View eased their relegation worries by beating St John Sonnets 2-0 to go to 14 points.

In two key matches today, Cosmos will meet UWI at Orange Hill at 6:30 p.m. while Empire play Silver Sands at Hilda Skeene at 8:30 p.m. (EZS)