Football: Barclays league division one-Brutus’ hat-trick inspires St Michel |16 April 2011
The Lions had a decent chance eight minutes later as Michel Joubert outpaced St Michel defender Joel Barbé to cut inside but he shot in the side-netting.
St Michel opened the scoring in the 17th minute after threatening on several occasions. It all started from The Lions’ captain Jones Joubert’s back pass to Dingwall and the former St Michel goalkeeper tried to clear the ball, but it fell straight to Brutus. The St Michel striker, who had fluffed two chances earlier, accepted the gift to shoot into an empty net to embarrass Dingwall (1-0).
Six minutes later, St Michel increased their advantage as Waye-Hive released Leeroy Corallie with a pass that set him clear to race on goal and his teasing cross was tapped in easily by Brutus at the far post (2-0).
The Lions were down and were almost blown away as St Michel stretched their lead with a fantastic strike by debutant Leeroy Mathiot in the 27th minute. The young midfielder picked up a loose ball from 35 metres out and there appeared little danger as he measured his shot to unleash a beauty which crashed into the net past Dingwall’s desperate dive (3-0).
The Lions’ Nicolas St Ange nearly reduced the arrears a minute later from a well-worked free-kick but goalie Nelson Sopha was equal to the task to deny the midfielder from 30 metres out.
At the other end in the 33rd minute, Malagasy Jimmy Radafison drilled a blistering free-kick which Dingwall could only parry to Brutus who scored but it was ruled out for offside.
The Lions reduced the score in the 40th minute though they should have been penalised for an offside which was signaled in the build-up. Dave Max’s cross fell to Joubert who was pushed in the back by Larue and referee José Pillay pointed to the spot. Nicolas St Ange took the spot kick, sending Sopha the wrong way (3-1).
St Michel needed only six minutes in the second half to go further ahead from a long goal-kick which dropped invitingly to Brutus whose sweet volley sailed over Dingwall (4-1).
St Michel brought on Philip Zialor and Don Anacoura in the 53rd minute and 13 minutes later the Anse Aux Pins-based team added a fifth goal as Anacoura latched onto a filtered pass to centre to Corallie who slotted the ball past Dingwall (5-1).
St Michel then went through the motions as they squandered several chances to extend the lead. They were also lucky not to have Sopha sent off on the stroke of full time as he clattered into Darren Payet. Referee Pillay only awarded a yellow card as St Michel extended their unbeaten run and lead at the top of the table.
R. J-L.