Vieux Fort South stayed top of the table, but two-time champions La Clery closed to second, after midweek action in the Saint Lucia Semi-Professional Football League with two games at the Francis “Baba” Lastic Grounds in Gros Islet.
In the nightcap, league leaders Vieux Fort South preserved their spot at the summit with a laboured 1-0 win over Mabouya Valley. After a scoreless first half, Shan Alfred found the breakthrough in the 61st minute, his fifth marker this season.
The lone strike was enough to seal all three points and keep Vieux Fort South at the top of the standings. The Valley boys, meanwhile, fell to a third loss in five matches and are the only team yet to feature in the win column.
In the opening fixture, La Clery earned a 2-1 victory over Dennery. Yanic Noel opened the scoring for La Clery from the penalty spot in the 11th minute. He sent custodian Anton Richard the wrong way after Alex Deveaux was taken down inside the six-yard box.
Despite missing the services of veteran midfielder Kurt Frederick, Dennery never stopped coming. Stand-in captain Elijah Joseph equalised for Dennery in the 23rd minute, finishing off a series of intricate close passes, and benefitting from a fortuitous deflection off a La Clery defender.
Knotted at 1-1 at the interval, La Clery coach Zaine Pierre and Dennery head honcho Sabbatus Hunte would have been equally happy. But a gorgeous cross from Ronham Cooper in the 78th minute found Noel’s head for his brace. The 24-year-old former New Generation FC frontman celebrated his league-leading sixth goal by pulling a yellow balloon from his sock and blowing it up while haring off towards the stands.
VFS move to 14 points from six games. La Clery are hot on their heels with 12 points from six. Dennery have a game in hand, but they currently sit third with 10 points, ahead of Soufriere with eight. At the other end of the table, Central Castries and Mabouya Valley are ninth and 10th, firmly in the relegation zone.
