A second half hattrick by forward Rakeem Joseph propelled Empire to overcome a 2 – 0 deficit and snatch a 3 – 2 victory against Tryum in the Antigua and Barbuda Football Association’s (ABFA) Premier League on Monday.
Joseph scored the winner, which completed his hattrick, one minute before the end of regulation in the Premier League encounter at the ABFA Technical Center.
Goals by Romario Dennie in the 18th minute and Chevel Cunningham in the 41st minute gave Tryum a 2 – 0 halftime lead, but Joseph led the charge as Empire came storming back in the second half to snatch their third win of the competition.
Just three minutes into the second half, Empire reduced the deficit when Joseph scored his first goal with a 48th minute conversion.
Joseph scored again for Empire via a penalty which he converted in the 59th minute. He then completed Empire’s comeback victory by slotting home the winner in the 89th minute.
The result lifted Empire to 10 points from nine outings, and into 11th place on goal difference, ahead of Pigotts Bullets who have the same number of points from the same number of matches.
A fifth loss in 10 encounters left Tryum in ninth place on 13 points.
Garden Stars strengthened their position at the top of the First Division by pulling off a 2 – 1 win over Bendals at the Technical Center on Monday.
Striker Allan Martin scored both goals for Garden Stars on either side of halftime.
Martin netted his first in the 5th minute to put his team ahead, but Okeski Ledeatte scored an equaliser for Bendals by converting a penalty in the 10th minute.
Martin then got his second goal when he struck Garden Stars’ winner in the 58th minute.
The ninth win in 10 matches ensured that Garden Stars extended their unbeaten run and retained their position at the top of the First Division by advancing to 28 points.
Bendals remain in fourth place with 16 points despite suffering their fifth loss in 11 matches.
