Football: Barclays league division one |15 March 2014

Revengers register first win

. Barallon sent off in added time

Newly promoted Revengers of Praslin registered a 1-0 win over struggling St Francis on Thursday at Stad Linite in a Barclays league division one encounter.
These two sets of players showed a lot of endeavour especially Revengers in the first half but the match lacked quality as well as scoring opportunities.

Revengers were the more enterprising as they carried the game to St Francis who struggled to find their rhythm in this first period.

Praslin-based Revengers had a decent opportunity just past the half hour mark as Hedy Esther centred to Malagasy Sylvain whose overhead kick flew just wide.

Eight minutes later, Malagasy Sylvain robbed St Francis defender David Farabeau of the ball to pull it back to his compatriot Evariste Rakotondrahaja whose shot was charged down by a defender.

St Francis’ response came in the 43rd minute following a mêlée in the Revengers penalty area and Malagasy Antonio Ratafina eluded Andy Laurence’s tackle but he hurried his shot when he was clean through and it sailed wide.

Both teams raised their game in the second half which was slightly more entertaining and on the hour mark referee Egbert Havelock denied Revengers a clear penalty as Sylvain slipped a pass to Hedy Esther who was tripped as he surged into the penalty box. But the official was not convinced.

In the 78th minute, Revengers rode their luck as Stephane Barallon set up substitute Stephen Leon who flashed a ball across the face of goal which goalkeeper Wilfred Ally spilled but another substitute Miguel Tall failed to tuck home the loose ball.

Five minutes later, Revengers should have broken the deadlock as Malagasy Evariste floated a corner to the unmarked Roger Nambinntsoa who headed over the cross bar.

Revengers though were gifted a goal in the 86th minute from Nambinntsoa’s crossfield pass to substitute Malagasy Herisolo Rajaobery. But St Francis defender Stephen Dijoux tried to cut out the pass but directed the ball past goalkeeper Jalyl Servina for an own goal to make it 1-0.

Dijoux had the chance to redeem himself in the 88th minute from Barallon’s lofted free kick inside the Revengers penalty box but he miscued a clear volley with the goal at his mercy.

As St Francis went in search of an equaliser, Malagasy substitute, veteran striker Herisolo Rajaobary should have scored in added time with a free header as goalkeeper Servina failed to hold on to a cross but he headed weakly and straight to the grateful goalkeeper.

Seconds later, Barallon tried to have a go at assistant referee Hansley Petrousse and when referee Havelock tried to calm him down, he lost his head and was booked and this was followed by a red card which was quite right as he continued his argument and got what he deserved as well as let his team down.

As for the match, Rajaobery had another opportunity in the dying seconds as he chased a long ball to round goalkeeper Servina but the former La Passe striker shot in the side netting but his team still celebrated their first victory in the top flight.

However, coach Basil Hoareau was not pleased with his team’s performance.
“I’m not too satisfied with my team as we dominated possession but our finishing let us down once again.  But the win is important to boost confidence in the team,” the Revengers coach said.

As for St Francis coach Marc Mathiot, whose team are yet to score in three matches, he had mixed feelings about the match.

“We did not play well in the first half but in the second, we created a few scoring opportunities but we failed to convert and then conceded a stupid goal,” coach Mathiot told Sports Nation.

R. J-L.