The Premier League championship is usually more or less settled by this time of the season even though there is still a third of the way to go. The champions are often so far ahead that it is already a foregone conclusion who will lift the trophy. Not this time though because it is as competitive as it’s been for years.
Elite lost their first league game of the campaign and have gone undefeated since, but breathed a sigh of relief after a lacklustre performance against George Town at the TE McField Annex on Sunday.
The 0-0 draw does not reflect the extra possession and chances George Town had in the second half. Tex Whitelocke hit the crossbar near the end and Fabian Malcolm, hero the previous week when he scored the only goal of the game from a penalty against Roma, could not repeat it this time. Up stepped the midfielder but his spot-kick was superbly saved by Elite keeper Dereck Rivers who had a marvellous game.
Scholars International had a shock loss to Tigers last week, their first of the season, which thwarted their chances of leapfrogging leaders Elite who could only manage a draw. Scholars tweaked personnel for the late game against bottom placed club Future Sporting Club on Sunday.
A guaranteed three-pointer for Scholars, it seemed, but Future despite their lowly position are never easily beaten so it was not a total surprise that after soaking up plenty of early pressure, Paul Brown scored against the run of play.
Scholars exerted even more pressure and it was talisman midfielder Nahun Rodriguez who equalised from close range after a good build up on the left. Mark Ebanks latched on to a cross from Roy Forbes to head home for Scholars soon after.
The young Future side never gave up and victory wasn’t sealed for the champions from two seasons ago until Rodriguez got his second to make it 3-1 in the second half. Elite and Scholars both have 31 points from 14 games but Elite have a better goal difference of 22 compared to their West Bay rivals’ 18.
Referees in the Cayman Islands rarely get praised but Scholars striker Mark Ebanks made a point of stating how well Levi Allen handled this match. “He let the game flow and made sensible decisions without giving unnecessary cards,” Ebanks said.
Bodden Town remain third with 28 points. They kept their challenge going with a 3-1 victory against Roma United at the Haig Bodden Field. BT’s goals came from Yefry Calderon, Jorronie McLean and Wesley Robinson. Roma’s scorer was Steve Dunkley.
Cayman Athletic were in an exciting match in the other game at the Haig Bodden field against Tigers. Athletic’s youngsters started off the first half with three well executed goals, two from Shano Evans and one from Christopher Ebanks. Tigers seemed to still be celebrating from the Scholars victory the previous week.
Athletic created more chances but didn’t execute. Tigers keeper Alberto Brooks had an excellent game and some tough defending by their defenders prevented that from happening also.
Late in the second half a persistent Tigers team didn’t quit, they kept fighting to the bitter end and from a fantastic free-kick by captain Manlio Connolly they got their first goal, which energised them and they started to pressure the young Cayman Athletic defence and got a second goal from striker Miguel Simms after a lapse in concentration by the side coached by Ernie ‘Gillie’ Seymour.
Athletic’s Kyle Santamaria came on in the second half replacing Shano Evans and was unfortunate not to score with a shot that struck the upright. Brooks came forward on a last moment corner to try his luck and was almost rewarded with a shot from outside the box that hit the cross bar. Matthew Suberan had a one on one with Brooks also but placed his shot softly and it was saved. Maybe the results of tired legs!
The last chance of the night in the dying minutes came to Athletics’ Christopher Ebanks who got past the Tigers defence and was one on one with Brooks but went for power instead of finesse and blasted his shot over the bar.
George Town remain fourth in the Premier League on 23 points, then it’s Tigers on 18, with Cayman Athletic sixth on 12, Roma next on eight points and then Future on six.
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