Defending champions?Meridian Castrol Youth Milan and Pride of Gall Hill logged important victories when the Barbados Football Association’s Digicel?Premier?League continued Thursday night.
The highlight of the night, however, was an amazing comeback by Direct TV Paradise, who recovered from 1-4 down to force a sensational 4-4 draw with KDJ Auto Parts/Gatorade Dayrells Road in the second game of a double-header at Gall Hill, St John.
Late strikes by Shane Callender (74th), Kent Hall (89th) and Armando Lashley, in the last minute, ensured Paradise shared the spoils.
Kyle Coppin (3rd minute) and Quincy Atherley (11th) had given Dayrells Road a 2-0 lead before Renaldo Niles (14th) pulled back a goal for Paradise. And when striker Tristan “Fishy” Parris (36th and 55th) scored on either side of half-time, it looked like Dayrells Road would be celebrating victory.
In the earlier match at the St John venue, Milan continued their revival after three early losses by thrashing former kings Claytons Kola Tonic Notre Dame 3-0.
The arrival of captain Norman Forde, just after the match got underway, seemed to inspire the Checker Hall, St Lucy-based side and he didn’t let them down, with a double strike. Brian Corbin completed the scoring with his maiden Premiership goal.
In the feature match at the National Stadium, Pride of Gall Hill defeated fellow strugglers Pinelands 3-1 after the Barbados Defence Force had edged Bagatelle 1-0 through a second-half goal by substitute Chai Lloyd.
Gall Hill took an early 2-0 lead when Julian Nicholls converted an eighth-minute penalty and Jabarry Chandler scored two minutes later.
Ryan “Shaky” Griffith made it 3-0 in the 62nd minute when he dribbled the advancing Pinelands’ goalkeeper Romayne Primus and pushed the ball into the nets as defender Kamal Thompson failed to stop it from going across the line.
Pinelands, who have now lost seven of their nine first-round matches, got a consolation goal in injury time when Peter Stoute headed home a cross from Romel Severin. (EZS)
