Closing in on the halfway mark of the Saint Lucia Semi-Professional Football League (SPFL) sophomore season, defending champions La Clery have opened the gap between themselves and the chasing pack. La Clery defeated Gros Islet at the weekend, whilst second-placed Central Castries dropped points against South Castries. In a bottom-of-the-table clash, Dennery edged Soufrière, whilst Mabouya Valley overcame Canaries.
Despite being at home at the Francis Baba Lastic Grounds, Gros Islet continued to struggle. After opening the season with a win over South Castries, Gros Islet have compiled just one more victory and three draws in seven fixtures.
On September 21, they fell 2-0 to the defending champions. After a gritty first half, Uhan Degazon broke the deadlock in the 60th minute, then Johnathan Allen struck in the 72nd to complete a statement win for the league leaders, unbeaten on 22 points. They have scored 25 goals and conceded just three. Degazon leads the league with nine goals. Gros Islet, meanwhile, are sixth in the 10-team table with nine points, ahead of Canaries and Dennery only on goal difference.
Mabouya Valley left it late to snatch a 1-0 victory over Canaries, thanks to an 84th-minute marker from Brandon Sandiford, his sixth of the season. Elijah Joseph scored the game-winner for Dennery against Soufriere, his fifth this term. Javel Faucher gave Dennery an early lead, and Curtley John sent the fixture into halftime at 1-1, before Dennery secured their second win, and consigned the man from Sulphur City to their seventh loss.
The Castries derby ended in a goalless draw. After losing to La Clery in the fourth round, second-placed Central beat Choiseul and Dennery, but they have now drawn against Gros Islet and ninth-placed South Castries.
The scheduled matchup between Choiseul and Vieux Fort South did not take place, as VF South arrived late for the fixture. According to the SPFL, the match will go down as “unplayed.”
