By Neto Baptiste
Grenades FC kept their unblemished record in the Antigua and Barbuda Football Association (ABFA) Premier Division intact with a 12th straight win in the competition, a close 3-2 triumph over Ottos Rangers on Sunday at the FA’s Technical Center on the Sir Sydney Walling Highway.
The win lifts the defending champions to 36 points from 12 showings at the top of the 16-team standings, some five points ahead of All Saints United and Old Road FC, both on 31 points.
Playing the second match of a triple-header, Grenades took the lead just 15 minutes in via a strike from Eugene Kirwan. Rangers were back on level terms just four minutes later when Josue Arias struck from close range.
The equality was however short-lived as a Sherman Augustin’s 28th minute conversion put Grenades back in command and into the half as 2-1 leaders. Striker Junior Benjamin gave Rangers a glimmer of hope when he struck in minute 51, but captain of the senior men’s national team and midfielder, Quinton Griffith, secured three points for Grenades with a 77th minute strike.
The loss was Rangers’ eighth in 13 showings as they remain on nine points and 12th on the standings.
There was victory as well for All Saints United as they beat former champions Greenbay Hoppers 5-0 in the feature contest.
United were led by double-strikes from Malcolm Stewart (6 and 77) and D’Andre Bishop (53 and 87). Nazir McBurnette scored the other goal in minute 61. United are on 31 points after 12 matches while Hoppers remains on 24 points after 12 outings
In the opening fixture, FC Aston Villa blanked Swetes FC 6-1 to move to 23 points after 12 showings.
Samuel Lopez led with a hattrick for Villa, netting in minutes 6, 34 and 63. Joylan Sinclair (14), Eroy Gonsalves (24) and Joshua Ferdinand (86) all scored once in the comfortable win. Shafeeq Joseph scored the lone goal for Swetes as they remain on five points from 12 showings and third from bottom on the standings.