By Neto Baptiste
Garden Stars FC, despite a one-nil loss to second place finishers, Green City FC on Saturday at the Antigua and Barbuda Football Association (ABFA) technical center, celebrated their dominance in the First Division after collecting the league trophy and their elevation to the Premier Division for the 2023/24 season.
Stars finished the competition on 58 points from their 22 showings, dropping only eight points after two losses and a draw. They finished 12 points ahead of Green City who took their tally to 43 following Saturday’s triumph at the Paynters facility.
Ngozie Harvey scored the lone goal of the contest when he netted in minute 69. The result means that both teams will play in the Premier Division next season.
Meanwhile, Bendals FC defeated Fort Road 4-1 to secure a spot in the First Division vs Premier Division playoffs.
Bendals had a double strike from Daren Stevens who scored in minutes 36 and 38. Alpha Otto and Jabare Hanson each scored once, netting in minutes 23 and 42 respectively as Bendals ended their league campaign on 36 points and fourth in the standings. Martin Robinson scored the lone goal for Fort Road in minute 84.
Bendals join John Hughes, who finished third with 39 points, as the two teams from the First Division that will face the Premier Division’s 14th placed Blue Jays in the playoffs. The winner of the round-robin formatted playoffs will earn a spot in the top flight for the next season.
