Rendezvous and Abrahams United Silver Sands are dangerously close to the Barbados Football Association’s Premier League trapdoor, after suffering demoralising 4-0 defeats at the hands of Brittons Hill United and Crane and Equipment Ellerton respectively last past Saturday at the Wildey Turf.
The evening’s main event might have been expected to be Neighbourhood Care Pharmacy Weymouth Wales’ clash with Home Improvement Compton but that particular encounter failed to quicken the pulse and ended with a routine 2-0 Wales win.
Ellerton and Silver Sands got theshow on the road and Shaine Hermas put the finishing touches on an electric start in the ninth minute. Shadd Parris received the tangible benefits of his side’s dominance on the pitch with a well-taken goal on the half-hour mark.
Silver Sands captain Gabriel Layne, usually first-choice goalkeeper, was deployed in an outfield position in a strange tactical switch, with Jamal Moore taking his place in goal, and his awkward challenges earned him his first yellow card shortly before the second goal. His coach Adrian Watkins was left to rue his decision when Layne received his second caution and was dismissed in the 44th minute.
Half-time substitute Jason Haynes doused any Silver Sands sparks in the 80th minute with a technically precise volley at the back post from Shaquan Clarke’s pinpoint cross. Anson Barrow added another for good measure in the 87th minute after Cody Mark’s defence-splitting pass.
Brittons Hill did not have as easy a time against Rendezvous, at least not in the first half.
It took them until the 47th minute to break the deadlock through Romario Small’s smart finish.
Jahshaun Moore fancied his chances from distance and caught goalkeeper Romaine Primus napping as his dipping shot crashed off the post into the back of the net just two minutes after Small’s opener.
Jelani “Isco” Joseph buried a third in the 63rd minute and Dante Greenidge outfoxed the goalkeeper to complete the route in the 85th minute.
Wales’ victory was flanked by the two high-scoring victories and was shadowed in many ways by those results.
Their first half with Compton yielded no meaningful opportunities and the Waterford side, who represented themselves well last time out against the BDFSP, had fresh hope of gaining something at the final whistle.
Romario Harewood eventually dashed their hopes in the 64th minute before substitute Rivierre Williams popped up with the decisive second goal ten minutes later.
Compton remains on four points in fifth in Zone 2, with Rendezvous, still in touching distance, three points adrift. The bottom club in each zone will be automatically relegated at the end of the season and the two fifth-placed clubs will engage in a play-off and the loser will be the third casualty of the relegation battle. (NM)
