Wales go top with win over Empire

Former two-time champions Weymouth Wales have opened up a three-point lead at the top of the standings after earning a hard-fought 2-1 victory against Empire when the Coca-Cola Premier League continued last night at the Wildey AstroTurf.

The victory propelled the Renaldo ‘PeeWee’ Gilkes coached Wales to 13 points. They had previously been tied with Premiere Classe Paradise at the top of the table.

The lads from Carrington Village were handed the lead after an own goal scored by Empire’s marksman Arjuan Bourne in the fifth minute.

Substitute Ray Snagg, brought on for Nathan Skeete in the 54th minute, capitalised on a defensive blunder at the back by Empire and scored the winner in the 70th minute.

Claytons Kola Tonic Notre Dame wormed their way into third position after snatching a 2-1 thriller and handing second placed Paradise their first defeat of the season on Saturday.

Five red cards were shared out during that dramatic encounter.

Notre Dame’s Zeco Edmee who scored a brace in the 28th and 49th minutes was sent off during injury time, while his teammates Carl Joseph and Shane Mottley (85th) and Jeneico Baptiste in the 88th were also dismissed.

Senior national midfielder Jomo Harris was the only Paradise player to be sent off.

Paradise’s lone goal of the night came through Jabbary ‘Papi’ Chandler in the 38th minute.

Wales, Paradise and Notre Dame all sit in the top three of the standings ahead of defending champions Barbados Defence Force Sports Programme who flogged University of the West Indies Blackbirds 5-1 during yesterday’s opening encounter.

BDFSP’s utility player Rashad Smith got the ball rolling with the opener in the 27th minute. From there on the soldiers scored goals frequently as senior national captain Rashad Jules accounted for a brace in the 34th and 35th minutes.

Fellow national player Omani Leacock registered one in the 44th and Nicholas Best added number five in the 54th. National Under-20 captain Niall Reid-Stephens produced UWI’s lone goal in the 79th minute.

BDFSP are in fourth position on nine points, just ahead of fifth-place Deacons Football Club (seven points ) who were also victorious yesterday in the second game of the evening.

Deacons defeated Brittons Hill 2-0 with a goal each from Shaquon Haynes (36th) and Keon Atkins in the 60th.

morissalindsay@barbadostoday.bb