Former Wallidan midfielder George Cole’s astonishing brace has inspired Manjai to a hard-fought 2-1 win over Lamin in the 2015 Gambia Football Federation-sponsored Super Nawetan game played at the Serrekunda East Mini Stadium on Monday.
Lamin, the two-time super nawetan champions, who won the country’s annual community’s biggest football fray in the 2002 and 2011 after beating Banjul and Sukuta in the finals, made a woeful start to the 2015 super nawetan after losing to Gunjur 2-1 and 1-0 to Brufut in their two opening matches before their goalless draw with Bakau in their third game.
Manjai made a stunning start to the 2015 super nawetan campaign after beating whipping boys Serrekunda Central and Gunjur 1-0 and 2-0 before their disappointed 1-1 draw with Brufut.
Lamin opened the scores through Alieu Conteh in the 23rd minute of the game from a penalty spot after midfielder George Cole brought down Abdou Sarr inside the eighteen-yard box to give his side the lead.
Manjai responded back quickly and levelled the scores through former Wallidan midfielder George Cole in the 33rd minute of the game from an excellent free-kick to cancel Alieu Conteh’s 23rd-minute strike from the penalty spot to make it 1-all.
George Cole notched in the winner for Manjai in the 65th minute of the game from the penalty spot after defender Joseph Gomez punched the ball with his hand inside the eighteen-yard box to earn Manjai their third win in the super nawetan and also complete his brace.
Lamin’s 2-1 defeat to Manjai was their third defeat in the 2015 super nawetan after losing to Gunjur and Brufut 2-1 and 1-0 in their two previous outings.
The two-time super nawetan champions will now be playing for pride against Serrekunda Central in their final group B tie today, who also lost their three opening games in the 2015 super nawetan group B games after losing to Manjai, Gunjur and Brufut 1-0, 2-0 and 3-1 respectively in their three previous outings.
Brufut thrashed whipping boys Serrekunda Central 3-1 at the Father Gough Sports Complex in Manjai Kunda.
Bakau drew goalless with Gunjur in the other group B game played at the Serrekunda West Mini Stadium on the same day.
Manjai are leading group A with 10 points in four games, Brufut are second place in group B with 8 points in four games and Gunjur are third place in group B with 7 points in four games.
Bakau are fourth place in group B with 4 points in four games, Lamin and Serrekunda Central are second place from bottom and bottom place respectively in group B with a single point each in four outings.
Manjai, Brufut and Gunjur have navigated to the quarterfinal after finishing first, second and third place in group B, while Bakau need just a point against Manjai in their final group game today to sail to the quarterfinal.
Lamin and Serrekunda Central both need a massive win against each and hope Bakau slip to Manjai in the other group B game today to progress to the quarterfinal after losing their three opening matches in the championship.
