Reno sole leaders of Super League
FROME, Westmoreland — Reno FC took a big step towards winning the Captain’s Bakery Western Confederation Super League title on Wednesday after edging Seba United 1-0 at Frome Sports Complex in a clash of joint leaders.
A 76th-minute penalty from midfielder Davian Thorpe gave 10-man Reno full points and sole leadership of the competition with eight rounds left to play.
Reno were reduced to 10 men when referee Horace Clarke sent off Leaford Pearce in the 35th minute for striking a Seba player after the whistle had gone.
Reno now lead with 38 points from 14 matches, three more than Seba, while Frome FC remain third on 28 following their 0-0 tie with Petersfield in a Westmoreland derby.
The win also atoned for Reno’s defeat in the mid-season final which Seba came from behind to win 2-1.
The result was crucial, as Reno and Seba had established themselves to be the to teams in the competition after separating themselves from the pack.
After drawing 0-0 in their first-round meeting, Wednesday’s game got off to a brisk start and with so much riding on the result, tempers flared and things threatened to get out of hand.
Reno came close to scoring first when Evan Thorpere headed high in the 19th minute. Jermie Bucknor responded for Seba a minute later, but his shot from close range to the left of the goal was blocked by Omar Johnson for a corner.
Craig Foster had a good chance in the 40th when he beat two defenders and went to the touch line, but his cross flew unimpeded across the Seba goal.
Down a man, Reno changed strategies in the second half, dropping all their players behind the ball and staying in their own half while attacking on the counter.
Despite the numerical advantage and being given the space in which to operate, Seba failed to capitalise on their chances.
Reno pounced on a counter-attack and Nyron Davis was fouled just inside the penalty area by goalkeeper Neil Lynch who had come off his goal line.
Thorpe made no mistake from the spot, powering the ball straight past Lynch into the top of the goal.
Meanwhile at the UDC field, Violet Kickers suffered their heaviest defeat in two years in the league when they were hammered 7-1 by Granville, who went on a scoring spree in the second half after the scores were tied at 1-1 at half-time.
Rodney Hines scored a hat-trick and Garth Johnson scored twice, while Michael Thompson and Oniel Pringle each scored a goal.
Two-time defending champions Wadadah scored their first win in nine matches when they beat Exidos 3-1 at Bounty Hall.
Despite the win, Wadadah are still in the relegation zone, in 11th place, tied with Violet Kickers on eight points, but with an inferior goal difference.
Wednesday’s Results:
Exidos 1 Wadadah 3
Reno 1 Seba 0
Petersfield 0 Frome 0
Prosper 0 Bamboo 0
Violet Kickers 1 Granville 7.