Brikama United have maintained their 1-point lead at the summit of the league table after a hard-fought 1-nil win over the academy boys Samger in the Gambia Football Association (GFA) first division league at the Brikama Mini-stadium at the weekend.
Musa Bojang’s 41st minute header was all the West Coast Region outfit needed to maintain their position at the top of the table on 30 points.
The keenly and well-contested week fifteen encounter attracted a huge crowd that turned out to witness what was a thrilling encounter at the Box Bar Mini-stadium.
Bully Drammeh made a sensible run in the middle of the field in the 29th minute of the game before firing in a superb shot but goalkeeper Ebrima Madi Camara wasted no time this time around by beautifully saving the ball to a corner kick.
Lamin Sarjo Samateh made a brilliant run on the left side of the field in the 34th minute of the game before slotting in a sensible pass for Yahya Ndong but goalkeeper Bubacarr Sanyang was there at the right time to rescue the in-form Brikama outfit.
Three minutes later midfield maestro Sulayman Marr struck the cross bar for Samger FC when skipper Ebrima Jaiteh set him up but their efforts failed to bear fruit.
Musa Bojang’s first half strike proved to be the decisive moment of the game as he scored the winner of the contest to help Brikama maintain their one-point lead on top of the table, trailed by closest rivals Real De Banjul on 29 points.
With five minutes remaining on the clock, Lamin Sarjo Samateh almost levelled the score for Samger but he was disappointed to see his effort denied by a stand bar in what was the best chance of the game for Coach Jane Joof and his charges.
The news could be regarded as a major setback for Samger, who only managed to collect 17 points in 15 encounters, 13 points between them and the leaders Brikama United, with only seven matches remaining.
On the same day at the Serrekunda West Mini-stadium, the Gambia Ports Authority drew 1-1 with struggling Steve Biko FC who have failed to register their first win in the league.
The Gambia Ports Authority have collected 22 points in fifteen encounters, while Steve Biko FC are second from bottom with 10 points in fifteen games.
At the Banjul Mini-stadium that same day, Gamtel FC beat Wallidan 1- nil. The telecommunications giants have now collected 21 points in fourteen games with a game in hand against Africell FC, while Wallidan have so far settled in third place on the league table with 24 points in fifteen encounters.
On Saturday, Real De Banjul beat Young Africans FC by a goal to nil to maintain their second place on the league standings with 29 points in fifteen games, while Young Africans FC have collected 15 points in fifteen league games.
At the Independence Stadium the same day, Bakau United hammered out-of-form Africell 4-1. The win has taken Bakau United to 17 points in fifteen games leaving Africell FC rooted at the bottom of the league table with 9 points in fourteen games with a game in hand against Gamtel FC.
Africell’s hope of moving away from the relegation zone remains to be seen after a constant run of poor form.
Bad news hit the headlines when the Bakau side’s head coach Ousman Janneh, aka Charles, announced he was resigning from the head coach position citing “a monotonous system of managing the club” as one of the reasons for tendering his resignation with effect from 24 July 2011.
At the Serrekunda East Mini-stadium, Armed Forces drew 1-1 with Interior, which has seen them collecting 21 points in fifteen games, while Interior FC have so far collected 12 points in fifteen encounters.