The Barbados Defence Force (BDF) rebounded from defeat against Mackeson Brittons Hill last week to pull off a crushing 6-1 win over last season’s champions Meridian/Castrol Youth Milan in Digicel Premier League action at the National Stadium Tuesday night.
Two teams short on form, Claytons Kola Tonic Notre Dame and Direct TV Paradise, played to an exciting 0-0 draw.
It was the Dames’ first point in their last five Premier League encounters, taking them to 14 points, while Paradise moved to 16 points.
Milan were coming off a 3-2 victory over the Dames just two days before this encounter and were growing in confidence after their difficult first round campaign.
Norman Forde showed glimpses of his typical brilliance and most spectators would have predicted a victory for the Northerners after their recent run.
However, the soldiers seem determined to clinch that coveted runners-up position and gave Milan a lesson.
BDF opened the scoring in the seventh minute when Kyle Gibson rose above everyone to head home a corner swung in from the right side.
In the 22nd minute, in almost identical fashion, towering central defender Zico Phillips leaped from a tight bunch to powerfully head past goalkeeper Steve Broomes.
Milan never got their rhythm going and created very little. Forde never came to the party and his cast of attackers lacked creativity.
BDF scored the third goal in the 32nd minute with a fine piece of counter attacking football. The ball broke on the left with captain Mario Harte, who played a precise ball with the outside of his right boot into the path of strike partner, Kyle Gibson.
Gibson, in a one-on-one with Broomes, made it look very easy as he placed his shot into the far post.
BDF were in full control at this point, but did not ease up off the 2011 Premiership champions. In the 68th minute, substitute Shamar Edwards made an almost immediate impact, using his pace and strength to hold off his marker and drill his right foot shot past the bewildered custodian to make it 4-0.
In the 79th minute, Harte scored the fifth goal. Dwayne O’Garro divided the Milan defence and Harte, as he has so charismatically done in the past, finished from about 20 yards with a gentle push into the low right corner.
Milan managed to pull one back in the 82nd minute through Ramon Greaves but Harte placed the final nail in the coffin in the 83rd minute.
At Gall Hill, St John, leaders Weymouth Wales played to a 2-2 draw with Bagatelle, while the contest between Mackeson Brittons Hill and Pride of Gall Hill ended in a goalless draw.
In another match at Orange Hill, St James, Pinelands drew with Dayrells Road 1-1. (REG)
