By Neto Baptiste
Defending champions All Saints United remains unbeaten after seven rounds of matches in the Antigua and Barbuda Football Association (ABFA) Premier Division following their sixth triumph in the league, beating a determined Pigotts Bullets 3-2 on Sunday.
Playing in the feature contest of a triple-header at the FA’s Technical Center on the Sir Sydney Walling Highway, United dominated the opening half of the contest, scoring all three goals within 35 minutes.
Dorien Cole provided the opener for the All Saints men in as early as the sixth minute before a double-strike from D’Andre Bishop provided United with a comfortable cushion. Bishop had strikes in minutes 10 and 35.
Bullets launched a comeback in the second half and had goals from Shafeeq Joseph in minute 75 and Akeem Isaac in added time but it was not enough to help them salvage at least a point from the contest.
The win lifts United to 19 points and second on the standings due to goal difference while Bullets remains on 15 points from eight showings and sixth on the standings.
Also on Sunday, Garden Stars continued their good form in the competition, picking up their sixth win in eight matches to remain third on the standings.
The Liberta men had goals from Sedique Adams in the 12th minute, Jahred Williams who struck from the penalty spot in minute 53 and Wilton Rhodes in the 80th to beat Greenbay Hoppers 3-1 and hand the former champions their sixth loss in seven matches this season.
In the other match contested Sunday, Attacking Saints beat Parham 2-0 to move their tally of points to eight after eight matches.
Saints had both goals from Alexander Moody-Stuart who struck in minutes 10 and 19 to inflict Parham’s seventh loss in eight matches this season and while the win moves Saints to the eight position on the standings, Parham remains at the bottom of the 14-team standings with just three points.
Meanwhile, on Saturday, frontrunners Grenades FC kept their unbeaten run alive with a six-nil hammering of Willikies FC in the feature match of a triple-header.
The goals were evenly spread across the board for Grenades with Luis Cuidad Labrada (1), Eugene Kirwan (13), Malcolm Stewart (23), D’jarie Sheppard (57) and Carl Osbourne (90+3) all scored once for the Jennings men. An own-own by Willikies’ Juniah Thomas in minute 23 accounted for the other conversion.
The win carries Grenades to 19 points after seven matches at the top of the standings while Willikies remains on nine points from eight matches at midtable on the 14 team standings.
Also on Saturday, Old Road rallied to their sixth win in seven matches with a 3-1 triumph over the struggling Green City FC when they clashed in the second contest.
Old Road had goals from Joylan Sinclair in minute 25, Shackwon Simon in minute 42 and Johnathon Shoy in minute 58 as they move to 18 points from seven matches and still in the top five. Ranje Williams scored the only goal for Green City as they remain on four points in seven matches.
In the opening contest, John Huges FC and FC Aston Villa played to a scoreless draw.
ABFA Premier Division standings as of December 8, 2024
Teams GP GW DG GL GF GA GD PTS
Grenades FC 07 06 01 00 38 02 36 19
All Saints United 07 06 01 00 25 10 15 19
Garden Stars FC 08 06 01 01 13 06 07 19
Old Road FC 07 06 00 01 20 04 16 18
FC Aston Villa 08 05 02 01 22 09 13 17
Piggotts Bullets 08 05 00 03 17 06 11 15
Willikies FC 08 03 00 05 08 21 -13 09
Attacking Saints 08 02 02 04 10 23 -13 08
Five Islands FC 06 02 01 03 10 22 -12 07
John Hughes 08 01 02 05 06 14 -8 05
Green City FC 07 01 01 05 09 16 -7 04
Potters Tigers 07 01 01 05 08 21 -13 04
Greenbay Hoppers 07 01 00 06 09 18 -9 03
Parham FC 08 01 00 07 05 27 -22 03
