Football: Barclays League Division One-Foresters sneak past SMB |23 May 2008

SMB drew first blood in the fifth minute as former Foresters midfielder Kevin Quatre filtered a pass to Marcus Labiche who was in the clear but his shot lacked the sting to trouble reinstated goalkeeper Christopher Bibi.

A minute later, Labiche again went close as he met Rannes Vel’s cross to turn and fire a low shot narrowly wide.

Foresters slowly began to assert themselves with Alpha Baldé in the thick of things and in the 28th minute his team were awarded a free kick on the edge of SMB’s penalty area. Baldé curled in a beauty past goalie Eddie Barbé to give his team a 1-0 lead.

Ten minutes later, Foresters scored a second goal but their celebration was short-lived as referee Gerald Gonthier, who struggled to handle the match, disallowed it.

It all began from Francis Nourrice’s raking 30-metre free kick which Barbé spilled to Aaron Jean, whose initial shot was blocked. The ball broke to Norvil Gaspard who drove it into an empty net. Referee Gonthier saved Barbé’s blushes by awarding a foul in his favour.

In the 40th minute, SMB should have drawn level from Vel’s wicked cross which flashed across goal to Labiche who slid to meet the ball but could not direct it on target.

On the stroke of half-time, in a mêlée in Foresters’ penalty area, SMB captain David Dorby lobbed the advancing goalie Bibi, but defender Jason Denise cleared the goal-bound shot.
SMB increased the pressure in the second half as they pegged Foresters in their own half but could not find a breakthrough.

Foresters, for their part, strangely pulled off Baldé who was really annoyed with his substitution and quite rightly so as he was their most dangerous player on the pitch.

In the 66th minute, Foresters extended their lead against the run of play. Denise floated a free kick from the left and the ball sailed over Barbé to make it 2-0.

SMB reduced the deficit in the 75th minute as substitute Gerald Basset latched onto a through ball from Roddy César to beat the advancing goalie Bibi for a 1-2 score.

Two minutes later, in a counter-attack, Foresters substitute Andrew Figaro sent an inch-perfect cross to Nourrice who embarrassingly did not connect with his diving header with the goal at his mercy.

Foresters, who had used all their three substitutes, were reduced to 10 men in the 89th minute as Gaspard was carried off to hospital – victim of a crude foul which referee Gonthier surprisingly failed to penalise.

Deep in injury time, captain Dorby picked out substitute Hendrick Labrosse in acres of space on the left but quite frustratingly for his team, the former The Lions striker missed the target as Foresters secured the points.

R. J-L.