By Neto Baptiste
A brace from national striker Raheem Deterville was not enough to hand Old Rod FC their ninth win of the Antigua and Barbuda Football Association (ABFA) Premier Division, as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Willikies FC when they met in the feature contest of a triple-header at the body’s technical center on Sunday.
Deterville put the former champions ahead from the penalty spot in the 40th minute before extending the round south men’s advantage just before half time. The double pushes Deterville onto 16 strikes from 10 matches.
Just when Old Road thought they had the match in the bag, D’Jarie Sheppard narrowed the lead with a 73rd minute conversion while Shayen Hastings stole a point with an added time equalizer.
The draw moves Old Road to 25 points and third in the standings, eight points adrift leaders Grenades who have 33 points while Willikies moves to 13 points from 10 showings.
Meanwhile, former champions Greenbay Hoppers picked up the only win on Sunday, beating Pigotts Bullets 3-2 in the day’s opening contest.
Bullets went ahead in as early as the third minute after Jamol Stevens inadvertently put the ball into the back of his own net. Akeem Isaac stretched Bullets’ lead just nine minutes later when he struck from close range.
Hoppers pulled a goal back in the 23rd minute via a Javorn Stevens strike before Bullets scored an own-goal of their one when, in minute 26, Dale Gardner unintentionally put the ball into the back of his own net. The winner came in the dying stages of the contest when, in minute 84, Yoandir Puga Estevez secured three points for the Grays Green team.
Hoppers moves to 21 points from 10 showings and fourth on the 16-team standings while Bullets remains on nine points and 11th on the standings.
Also, in a game where three red cards were issued, SAP FC and Empire FC played to a 2-2 draw.
All four goals were scored in the second half with Darbel Nado Tito scoring both goals for Empire with strikes in minutes 65 and 66 while veteran Peter Byers scored both goals for SAP, netting in minutes 73 and 81.
Quinton Roy (violent conduct) and Daniel Nanton (serious foul play) of SAP were red-carded in minutes 75 and 90 respectively, while Empire’s Akeem Grant (violent conduct) was sent off in minute 75.
SAP moved to 10 points from 10 showings and ninth in the standings while Empire moved to five points from the same number showings and 14th on the table. .
