The reigning Men’s Division One champions regained top spot on Monday night with a comprehensive 8-3 victory over Yobbos at Footes Lane to move two points clear ahead of this weekend’s grand finale, meaning that they will successfully defend their crown should they avoid defeat against the men in black whereas Casuals have to win to take the spoils.
Although Yobbos were able to call upon their Elizabeth College contingent who had been unavailable for the clash with Casuals a week earlier, there was a determination and ruthlessness about Colombians that suggested, understandably, that they had more invested in this contest and it was no surprise that their Island stars, past and present, all had a big impact.
In saying that, it was Yobbos who got off to a flying start, earning a penalty-corner just one minute into the game from which youngster David Bown gave them an early lead from an improvised strike after the initial move went awry.
The Colombians response was immediate and emphatic, though, as they went straight up the other end from the restart and Zak Damarell fired home an equaliser before three minutes had been played.
The game settled down after that brisk opening with both goalkeepers, Louis Day for Yobbos and Emma Atkinson for Colombians, making a save apiece in the first quarter while Matt Stokes looked like he was playing a back-foot defensive stroke in the middle at the KGV during the height of the summer when he blocked a Sean Donaldson drag flick that seemed destined for the net.
However, after Damarell won another short as the opening period came to a close, Donaldson made no mistake with his next attempt that went low into the bottom corner to give his side the lead for the first time.
Day prevented Ball from adding to that lead early in the second quarter with a sharp reaction save after the Island forward had danced his way into the D before unleashing a fierce strike.
Instead, it was Yobbos who scored next just moments later when James Lindsay was on hand to knock in the loose ball after Atkinson had blocked Stokes’ low short-corner drag-flick.
Parity did not last long, though, and this time another driving run from Damarell ended up in a penalty stroke which Ball tucked away with aplomb.
That sparked a purple patch of three goals in five minutes for Colombians as they took control of the game.
The next came from Ed Benfield, who thumped an unstoppable shot into the bottom corner at a short-corner, before Ball scored his second penalty stroke after he himself had been brought down by Day in the process of going around the goalkeeper.
At half-time injured Colombians captain Isaac Eyton-Jones told his troops how much better they had been in the second period and they carried that confidence into the third quarter with Sam Scott quickly making it 6-2 from close range after Ball’s effort had rebounded off Day.
Yobbos did not lie down and Atkinson denied both Jake Taylor and Stokes to maintain the four-goal cushion until the final quarter.
The pink-and-whites did get a deserved third in the opening exchanges of the fourth when James Underwood applied a fine finish on the run to an excellent move that also involved Jack Birch, but once again the reply was instant with Charlie Le Tocq’s run down the right ending with his ball into the danger area going into off the unfortunate Steve Eulenkamp’s stick as he stretched to intercept.
The coup de grace came seven minutes from time when Damarell turned home Matt Watson’s strike goal-wards at a short-corner to complete the scoring.
Now everything is set for Saturday’s title showdown, which gets under way at 4.15pm.
