A second half double from former national striker Randolph “Etty” Burton was enough to pull defending Premier Division football champions All Saints United back from one-nil down and turn them into eventual 2-1 winners over former champions Old Road FC, securing three crucial points in their close title race with Grenades FC.
Playing in the feature game of a triple-header at the Antigua and Barbuda Football Association (ABFA) Technical Center on Saturday night Burton, who entered the match as a 58th minute substitute, made his presence felt almost immediately, hitting the back of the net just 10 minutes later.
Burton’s goal drew United level with Old Road at 1-1 as the round south men had taken the lead via a Shackwon Simon strike in the 42nd minute. Burton, well into added time, finished what he started when he struck from close range to give the lively All Saints supporters reason to celebrate.
The win, their 15th of the season, moves United to 47 points after 17 showings at the top of the standings. Old Road remains on 34 points also after 17 matches and third on the standings.
In another crucial encounter, Potters Tigers and Five Islands FC played to a 1-1 draw also at the FA’s facility located on the Sir Sydney Walling Highway.
Brandon Emanuel put Five Islands ahead in the eighth minute, much to the delight of the team’s supporters, but just when it seemed as though they would take all three points from the contest, Tigers roared back via a 77th minute Javorn Benjamin effort.
The draw pushes Potters to 18 points from 16 showings and further away from both the relegation and playoff zones while Five Islands inches to 14 points from 17 showings as they remain fourth from bottom on the standings.
In the other match contested Saturday, Attacking Saints and Parham FC played to an exciting 3-3 draw as Parham makes one final push in their bid to avoid the automatic two-team relegation zone.
Attacking Saints signalled their intentions early, going two-nil up in the first 20 minutes with both goals from Obafami Poyotte. Poyotte struck in minutes 17 and 20. Tyrese Gowe pulled a goal back for Parham in the 38th as Saints held a slim 2-1 advantage at the half.
Poyotte completed his hattrick early in the second half when he shook the opponent’s net for a third time in the contest, his hattrick coming in the 50th minute.
But Parham was not done and two more goals from Gowe, coming in minutes 58 and 66 helped the former champs secure a point while Gowe completed a hattrick of his own. Saints moves to 16 points after 16 showings but still too close for comforts to the playoff zone in the ninth position. Parham move to 10 points from 16 showings but remain second from bottom on the 14-team standings and still in the automatic relegation zone.
