Football : Barclays league division one-St Michel edge St Louis Suns, La Passe win |28 March 2011
St Michel v St Louis Suns
Missing Malagasy defender Jimmy Radafison, who was on international duty, St Michel clashed with their fiercest rivals St Louis Suns in a tempestuous match.
St Louis Suns looked the better side and in the eighth minute, Fabien Cadeau saw his 
St Michel responded two minutes later as Carl Hall exchanged passes with Malagasy Fulgence but a tackle by David Dorby saved the danger for his team.
In the 12th minute, St Louis Suns again threatened as Jonathan Bibi played a long ball over the St Michel defence to Mervin Mathiot who outpaced the defenders but he failed to hit the target.
St Michel opened the scoring in the 17th minute from a St Louis Suns defensive error, allowing Nelson Laurence to slip a half-cleared ball to Wilnes Brutus who drilled it through goalie Joel Lesperance’s legs for a 1-0 lead.
St Louis Suns should have drawn level in the 26th minute as Mathiot beat St Michel’s offside trap to race clear but he got entangled with the ball before squaring it to Brian Dorby whose toe-poke rolled wide.
On the half hour mark, St Louis Suns lost Fabien Cadeau, who appeared to have come out the worse in a clash with St Michel’s captain Nigel Freminot, and his colleagues claimed he had been elbowed but referee Bernard Camille was not convinced.
In the 35th minute, Brutus almost doubled the lead as he pounced on Lesperance’s poor clearance but his lob sailed wide.
St Michel did increase their lead in the 40th minute following some poor defending by St Louis Suns. Fulgence played a free-kick and Gervais Waye Hive sneaked in at the near post and although he miscued his header, the ball still flew past Lesperance’s desperate dive and into the net for a 2-0 scoreline.
St Louis Suns should have cut the deficit a minute later as Barbé broke clear to elude captain Freminot and shot at goalie Gino Melanie who spilled the shot which rolled into corner.
St Louis Suns tried to raise the tempo in the second half but at times their worst enemy was their fancy football which did not bring them anywhere.
In the 48th minute, Mathiot had a decent chance to reduce the arrears but he miscued his shot in a good scoring position.
As St Louis Suns pushed forward, St Michel tried to hit them on the counter and in the 63rd minute Brutus played a delightful cross-field pass to Fulgence who went round Serge Asba but Lesperance stood firm to block the Malagasy’s fierce drive.
The match almost turned on its head in the 80th minute after substitute Ryan Antat went down after he felt he had been fouled by Nelson Laurence. In the impending mêlée, Lorenzo Mathiot, who was retreating, fell over Antat. The burly striker was upset, got up and kicked out at Mathiot who was on the floor. The two sets of players had to be calmed.
Some spectators started throwing water bottles onto the pitch and at some point even a glass bottle was thrown as the police looked on and on the pitch referee Camille punished Antat with a straight card which further infuriated the crowd.
The game was held up for six minutes before it resumed and in the 86th minute, Mathiot centred for substitute Roddy Melanie whose glancing header was saved by goalie Melanie.
St Louis Suns reduced the scoreline deep in injury time as Jonathan Bibi overlapped to cut the ball back to captain Trevor Poiret who shot past Melanie to make it 2-1. However, it was too little too late in a very ill-tempered match.
La Passe v Anse Reunion
La Passe’s striker Yelvanny Rose has switched allegiance this season and he rubbed salt into Anse Reunion’s wound on Saturday in a La Digue derby.
He put La Passe ahead in the first half and completed his brace in the second period to give his new team a 2-0 victory.
Côte d’Or v LightStars
Newly promoted Côte d’Or fought back from 2-0 down to earn a share of the points against LightStars in a Praslin derby at the Baie Ste Anne playing field.
Andrew Jean gave LightStars a 1-0 lead with a trade mark free-kick and Malagasy Luc Lahimpira made it 2-0 in the second half before Côte d’Or fought back.
LightStars’ Kevin Prosper scored an own goal to give Côte d’Or a glimmer of hope before Hubert Ernesta netted a super goal with a first-time shot to make it 2-2 and maintain Côte d’Or’s unbeaten run in the top flight.
The Lions v St Roch
Newly promoted The Lions roared to their first triumph on Friday, defeating St Roch 2-1 at Stad Linite.
The margin of victory should have been wider if The Lions had been more deadly in front of goal.
They went ahead in the 10th minute as Dave Max weaved his way past a couple of defenders to fire past goalie Eugene Valentin to make it 1-0.
St Roch’s Malagasy midfielder Nestor Benahovy drove a 15th minute free-kick just over goalie Jerome Dingwall.
St Roch’s best chance to draw level came in the 35th minute as a long ball dropped invitingly to Roy Julie but he blasted over the crossbar.
The Bel Ombre-based side continued to push forward in the second half to redress the balance and in the 50th minute captain Deven Belle sent in a teasing cross but two of his colleagues failed to connect with the goal at their mercy.
In the 56th minute, The Lions should have doubled their lead as Dave Max once again went on a mazy run to leave defenders in his wake but he shot straight at Valentin.
Three minutes later, The Lions went even closer as Randolph Lablache combined with Michel Joubert to send in a cross which caused havoc in St Roch’s penalty area. Nicolas St Ange managed to get a shot at goal despite a strong challenge by Valentin but somehow the ball hit the post before the danger was cleared.
St Roch’s Marvin Pierre had a half-chance in the 72nd minute as The Lions failed to clear their lines properly but his shot fizzed just wide of the post.
In the 79th minute, Randolph Lablache just failed to punish Valentin’s poor clearance as his attempted lob sailed agonisingly wide.
Three minutes later, St Roch drew level as Malagasy Benahovy curled a free-kick in The Lions’ penalty box and Denis Belle headed past Dingwall for a 1-1 scoreline.
The Lions should have regained their advantage in the 85th minute as Dave Max burst clear but he made a meal of the opportunity.
However, The Lions were not to be denied as Randolph Lablache was brought down in the penalty area by substitute Keddy Porice. Referee Nelson Emile pointed to the spot and St Ange thumped the ball powerfully past Valentin for a 2-1 score.
Dave Max should have put the icing on the cake in injury time as he glided past Porice with consummate ease but he could not finish off as brilliantly as his darting run.
It was The Lions’ first league victory and one which they fully deserve against a St Roch side who struggled to get their act together and remain the only first division side without a win so far this season.
R. J-L.