Football: Barclays league division one-St Roch add to St Louis Suns’ woes |14 October 2011

St Roch fully deserved their victory as they showed more commitment and were threatening from the kick-off.

In the fifth minute, Brian Ravinia saw his downward header from Malagasy Nestor Benahovy’s corner just pushed out by goalkeeper Elvis Leopold.

Four minutes later, St Louis Suns were gifted a clearance which fell to Ryan Antat but he failed to tuck the ball into an empty net.

In the 16th minute, at the other end, Benahovy tested Leopold with a strong free-kick which he parried.

St Louis Suns should have broken the deadlock on the half-hour mark when captain Denis Barbé, who was in an offside position, picked out Kelly Nibourette who raced clear but he shot weakly at goalkeeper Richard César
A minute later, Nibourette returned the favour with a through-ball to captain Barbé but he made a meal of his shot.

St Roch made them pay in the 32nd minute as Benahovy drilled a free-kick from a tight angle past a hapless Leopold for a 1-0 lead.

St Louis Suns responded in the 36th minute through Yannick Charlette who rifled a long range effort which was well stopped by César.

A minute later, St Roch punished St Louis Suns for their poor defending. Marcus Emilien bore on goal but his thumping shot came off the post and dropped to Nerick Athanase who headed the rebound into the net to make it 2-0 as the St Louis Suns goalkeeper stood static.

St Louis Suns pulled off the disappointing Leopold and brought in Joel Lesperance in the second half as well as Mervin Mathiot in an attempt to redress the situation.

However, it was St Roch who nearly added a third goal as St Louis Suns stupidly lost the ball from a good attacking position.

St Roch pressured the St Louis Suns defence as Steven Télémaque stole the ball to race on goal and was tripped on the penalty edge by Lesperance as the ball rolled goalwards.  However, Nadim Lucas cleared the danger and referee Eddie Maillet awarded a free-kick and only booked Lesperance who was lucky not to see red from the official who was at times too lenient.

In the 72nd minute, St Louis Suns put together a string of passes from the back before Eddie Bistoé released substitute Mathiot who allowed César to push his shot into corner.

St Roch again went close in the 73rd minute as Télémaque tormented Lucas before putting in an inch-perfect cross to Patrick Bonne but he headed over the crossbar.

In the 78th minute, St Louis Suns were once again unlucky as Mathiot failed to convert after a mêlée in the St Roch penalty area.

St Louis Suns rode their luck in the 83rd minute as Benahovy played a superb through-ball to Télémaque who skipped past the advancing Lesperance.

 The ball was rolling into the goal but Lucas cleared it as far as substitute Gerald Gonthier who rifled his shot onto the post.

Athanase pounced on the loose ball to drive it at goal but Lesperance had recovered his ground to cut out the threat.

St Louis Suns’ last opportunity to score a consolation goal came in the 87th minute as substitute Brian Dorby bore forward and held off the challenge of Darrel Forte to shoot at goal but it came off the crossbar to compound another frustrating afternoon for the players of coach Marc Mathiot who are starring relegation in the face.

R. J-L.