Bakau United's good run of form in the GFA league continued with another famous victory over neighbours Steve Biko as the country's top tier football championship continues to produce some fantastic games and revelations.
Striker Jatta Baldeh's second half strike was all Bakau United needed to salvage a famous 1-nil win over struggling Steve Biko side in the all-Bakau derby at the Serrekunda West Mini-stadium as the GFA first division league entered week five in various Mini-stadiums across the country at the weekend.
Coach Kebba Touray and his charges entertained the helpless Biko side to a deserved 1-nil win to register maximum points at the Bakau giant killers’ expense, which saw them climb at the summit of the league table on 10 points in five matches.
Bakau United, who continue to enjoy a convincing start to the GFA league campaign after strings of impressive performances against big opponents including the record title holders Wallidan whom they beat 1-nil in their opening fixtures four weeks ago, made their winning ambition against Biko known when Jatta Baldeh slotted home what proved to be the deciding moment of a tough encounter five minutes into the second interval.
The Bakau Giant killers occasionally went close to levelling their advantage but the strikers’ inability to find the net meant Biko have played five league matches without a victory conceding four goals and scoring only one in the process.
Bakau United are temporarily the league leaders having succeeded the previous pacesetters Brikama United, who were in action at the time of going to the press yesterday.
Should the Western Region outfit win their game against the promoted Africell side of Bakau, they would regain their position at the top of the 12-club league table which will see them move one point clear at the summit of the league standings on 11 points.
However, Biko's game against Bakau United was not the only derby game played at the weekend. Another derby encounter that also attracted public interest was the clash between Real De Banjul and another struggler, Gambia Ports Authority, whose hope of retaining their last year's crown looks far from certainty.
Coach Bonu Johnson and his men lost to bitter rivals Real De Banjul, who scored in the second period to keep hold onto their 1-nil lead for the remainder of what was said to be an action-packed encounter at the KG5 Mini-stadium in Banjul.
Elsewhere Armed Forces entertained the Academy boys Samger to a pulsating 1-1 draw at the Serrekunda East Mini-stadium on Saturday in a rather rough game marred by some harsh decision by the central referee who produced two straight red cards to Armed Forces playmaker Landing Darboe and Ousman Juwara of Samger in the 74th minute.
The two players were sent off for what the central referee called unsporting behaviour with 16 minutes remaining.
Wallidan, meanwhile, will be setting their sight on winning a third successive match having made a remarkable recover from their opening game defeat to Bakau United to enjoy two consecutive wins over Samger and GPA respectively.
Wallidan, also known as the blue boys, were also rubbing shoulders with Interior at the time of filing this report, at the Serrekunda East Mini-stadium yesterday.
