Wales dominate UWI to top standings

Defending champions Ensure Max Protein Weymouth Wales are back on top in the Barbados Football Association Premier League standings after a 4-0 demolition of the University of the West Indies Blackbirds.

From the start, the battle for possession resulted in an intense showdown between the two sides but in the end it was Wales who thoroughly dominated thanks to a brace scored from national midfielder Elijah Downey.

The much anticipated clash between the top two league teams from last season generated interest on Sunday at the Barbados Football Association AstroTurf in Wildey.

And UWI, not affording Wales attackers much breathing room to dominate possession, narrowly missed a golden opportunity in the first ten minutes to take the lead when a shot from midfielder Jaheim Neblett at the near post hit the right post of the goal bar.

Wales unfortunately lost veteran attacking midfielder Romario Harewood to injury in the 19th minute, stretchered from the field after being strongly tackled for a third consecutive time.

Head coach Asquith Howell then made an offensive switch by replacing Harewood with Downey and the move immediately paid dividends, as he scored an easy goal in the 21st minute, after easily beating UWI defender Javon Taylor easily at right-back.

UWI’s goalkeeper Shaquan Phillips, making a return to action after missing two games, had earlier made a brilliant save earlier with a right foot clearance to deny striker Shaquille Stewart inside the six-yard box.

Wales then extended their lead three minutes before halftime when national senior captain Andre Applewhaite presented a lovely sweeping cross to the right, picking out none other than the skillful Downey for a volley.

At the beginning of the second half, UWI made a substitution when defender Travon Wickham replaced Taylor. Unfortunately for Wickham, he picked up a yellow card in the 47th minute following a foul on Downey.

Clearly unhappy with some of the calls against them, UWI suffered a lapse in concentration which cost them the game as Stewart struck in the 58th minute and Andre Applewhaite followed up in the 82nd minute, to ensure Wales the three points that moved them to 12 points at the top of the standing.

Meanwhile, Keon Atkins produced a captain-like performance by scoring a brace to lead Deacons Club to their first win of the season, out-performing Kickstart Rush 2-0 in the penultimate game.

Desperate for a win, Deacons brought joy to their supporters when Atkins, leading by example, scored in the 79th and 90th minutes.

As expected, the opening encounter saw Ellerton Club totally dominate Abrahams United Silver Sands to come away with an 8-2 drubbing.

(AS)