Bakau beat rivals to progress to zonal final

If the old adage experience is the best teacher is anything to go by, then Bakau the most outstanding and decorated zonal team have just shown the quality after recording another impressive victory against neighbours and bitter rivals Banjul to confirm their third consecutive win over City Boys in the semi-final of the ongoing Baby Muhammeh Jammeh Perpetual Competition, at the Serrekunda-West-Mini-Stadium on Saturday.

Abdoulie Bojang who led Bakau to their third successive zonal final declined to comment ahead of Banjul clash, given the fact that the outcome of any football game can only be determined after the game.

He was referring to the fact that, there were some Banjulians who spoke optimistically of their possibility of winning against Bakau during their previous interviews with reporters but that confident has once again been put aside after they were eliminated from the championship by bitter rivals, through Alasan Camara's powerful right footed strike with only five minutes into a cracking semi-final encounter following a brilliant contribution by Pa Amadou Gai who set up the only goal of the game for the former U-17 and Steve Biko star striker, within the twinkle of an eye. Jarra as he is widely known hammered home a powerful right footed shot at the edge of Banjul penalty area for his first goal of the campaign.

The City Boys almost responded with two dangerous opportunities which fell to Assan Ceesay and defender Matar Ceesay, one from a close range and the other from a long range free-kick, respectively but the duo's efforts were frustrated by Bakau goalkeeper, Yaya Sidibeh who made several world class saves to deny the City Boys another zonal championship title to the frustration of noisy and visiting Banjul fans.

Modou T. Jammeh was controversially sent-off by the Central Referee for a hefty tackle on Banjul's Alagie Dodou Jeng a few minutes to the end of time to the frustration of Bakau supporters who all blamed the Central Referee for the error. As he put it, they felt it should have been a yellow-card, given the fact that the young midfielder did not receive any yellow-card leaving Coach Abdoulie Bojang side’s with ten men mid-way through the second period.

But the controversial Central Referee was aware of the error he committed, and as a result produced a straight red-card to Banjul goalkeeper, Bubacarr Bah for deliberately handling the ball away from his goal mouth to deny the tournament’s joint top scorer, Assan Jatta another opportunity in the dying minutes of a see-saw encounter.

The noisy and joyous Bakau fans stormed the town with one thing in their mind that is to lift another zonal championship title.  But can they achieve that success when they meet the winner in the typical all Serrekunda derby which was in progress at the time of filing this report, at the Serrekunda East-Mini Stadium yesterday.