By Neto Baptiste
Grenades FC dropped what could turn out to be two crucial points against the struggling John Hughes FC in the Antigua and Barbuda Football Association (ABFA) Premier Division on Sunday, after they were held to a 1-1 draw in the night’s feature clash.
Playing at the ABFA’s Technical Center, John Hughes took the lead in minute 26 via a Bryan Daniel conversion. Daniel’s strike was however, nullified by Grenades’ Luis Labrada just nine minutes later when he hit the back of the net from close range in the 35th.
The draw means Grenades slip to second in the standings with 20 points, two points behind new leaders and defending champions All Saints United who had mauled Greenbay Hoppers six-nil 24 hours earlier. For John Hughes, the point could prove valuable in their bid to advance up the standings and out of the bottom half of the table. They move to six points after nine showings and fourth from bottom in the standings.
Meanwhile, former champions Five Islands picked up a crucial 2-0 win over Willikies in Sunday’s Second contest. Both goals for Five Islands came in the second half and just a minute apart with Samuel Semper netting in the 83rd and Darbel Nado Tito following closely behind in the 84th.
The win moves Five Islands to 10 points after seven matches and to mid-table at seventh position while Willikies remain on nine points and eighth in the standings.
The woes of former champions, Parham FC, continued in Sunday’s opening clash which saw them crashing to their eighth defeat in nine showings, going under 1-0 to newcomers Potters Tigers.
National striker, Keon Greene scored the only goal of the contest when he hit the back of the net in minute 42. Coach of the Parham team and former national striker, Tevaughn Harriet, was red-carded in minute 81 for “using offensive, insulting and abusive language to the referee”.
The win moves Tigers to seven points after eight showings and 10th in the standings while Parham remain at the bottom of the standings with just three points from their nine outings.
