Even tighter at the top

THE champagne can be put on ice, but it may be there a while. Investec Colombians are now within touching distance of retaining the men's Division One title. However, they could have to wait three weeks to pop the corks.

On Saturday the yellows beat Mosgrove's Yobbos 4-1, then saw their club's youth side come so close to causing a huge upset by holding Tigers. A 2-1 win for Tigers means they still have a mathematical chance of forcing a play-off, but they have to win their remaining matches and hope Colombians lose all theirs.

Anything other than a win against Clubhouse Unwantables this coming Saturday and Tigers' hopes will end. Even then, Colombians play their Youth side on 31 January and have already beaten them comfortably this season.

The defending champions did enough against Yobbos, two goals in either half securing the win before a late Steve Ward consolation. 'I was quite surprised. Yobbos did not fire as much as they are capable,' said Colombians' Ollie Goddard.

'They defended deeply, as we knew they would, but going forward it did not work for them as it usually does.'

Damien Wallen fired his side ahead on 5min. collecting the ball from Adam Kitching and rolling it past the onrushing keeper.

That lead was doubled by Chris Gill, folowing a one-two with Kitching.

After the break, TJ Ozanne made it three, controlling and turning sharply before crashing the ball in from the top of the D.

And Tim Creasey rounded off a fine move: a patient build-up was injected with pace by Ozanne's movement off his marker and the first-time pass was hammered home back across the keeper into the far corner.

* PANTHERS made good use of leaders Cubs having a week off to move to within two points at the top of the Investec Women's League.

They beat OSA Amazons 3-2, although the latter can count themselves unlucky that they could not quite earn the point their second-half performance deserved.

Vixens grabbed three points with a 2-1 defeat of mid-table Puffins.

The top two meet this coming Saturday. Panthers won the first clash between the two 3-2; the second was a 2-2 draw. Amazons will play Vixens.