Five Islands Mangles Hoppers, Old Road Rebounds

The recently promoted Five Islands Football Club is certainly creating a name for itself in the Antigua and Barbuda Football Association (ABFA) Premier Division, cruising to its fifth win in nine showings on Tuesday, moving into the number two spot in the 10-team standings. The club’s latest victory, a 4-0 trouncing of former champions Greenbay Hoppers, moves Five Islands to 16 points, one adrift of leaders and defending champions Parham FC. Parham, however, have played a game less.
Yoandir Puga led the way for Five Islands, scoring in minutes 38 and 87 respectively while Samuel Semper and Sander Cervantes each netted once, scoring in minutes 48 and 74 to complete the demolition. One member of the Five Islands coaching staff and former player, Fernando Abraham said that his players made amends for wasting numerous chances in their previous outing.
“We scored plenty goals last night [Tuesday]. We had the opportunities on Sunday but we never scored the goals that we should have scored. We got at least five good looks at the goal and another seven chances, but we just didn’t put anything away,” he said. “We’ve got to be prepared, we have to be ready and it’s still a long way off but we just have to work hard to make sure we can maintain our position in that top three,” Abraham added. Hoppers remains on 15 points and third in the standings following their second loss of the competition. In Tuesday’s other contest, Old Road moved to sixth in the standings with a convincing 5-1 victory over Sap. Playing in the feature match of a double-header, Old Road were led by national striker Stefan Smith who recorded a hattrick, scoring in minutes 9, 45 and 90 respectively.
Raheim Deterville and Jabarry Chandler rounded off the scoring in minutes 44 and 90 respectively. Emerson Henry had Sap’s lone strike in minute 12. One member of the Old Road coaching staff, Chesley Browne said that consistency has been his team’s biggest hurdle throughout the competition. “If we continue playing like this, definitely, I think, we will be unstoppable with the type of football we are playing and especially using the speed we have in our team.
We have speed in all aspects, especially on the flanks and even up top. We have players who can run with any defense, so I think that if we continue doing that and as long as the team sticks together then we can create something in the second round,” the coach said. Sap, who has enjoyed a good run thus far, remains on 14 points and fourth in the standings.