BY JACOBSON PARK
The title aspirations of Bayelsa Queens FC got a big boost with a convincing 3-1win over Royal Queens of Warri in matchday eleven of the Nigeria Women Football League played at the Warri Township Stadium.
The Warri girls were quickest from the blast of the whistle as they pined the Gloryland Girls to their half within the first ten minutes of play with Oliseh Chioma and Okwuchukwu Chiamaka posing the biggest threat.
Immediately the Yenagoa based side absorbed those early pressure, the twin strike partnership of Anjor Mary and Charity Rueben became tormentor in chief to the Royal Queens defence which resulted in the curtain-raiser when Anjor Mary muscled her way past two defenders to slot pass Goalkeeper Alamah Chioma on 25th minutes.
Royal Queens quickly responded with some intricate passes and ball distribution. but the dilapidated state of the Warri Township Stadium turf was not allowing for them to achieve the end product with the defense stalwarts of Abidemi Ibe and Ayomide Anibaba coming to the rescue of the Bayelsa Queens.
The Warri girls had barely settled into the second stanza when Charity Rueben in her usual trademark style unleashed a ferocious shot from outside the box to double the advantage on 47th minutes.
With the game slipping away from Royal Queens, they poured forward in numbers to get a goal. but substitute Zainab Olapade put the icing on the cake when her weak shot caught Alamah Chioma in goal napping on 67th minutes. But a late consolation came the way of Royal Queens when they were awarded a penalty which Okwuchukwu Chiamaka converted on 77th minutes.
Coach Mene Paul of Royal Queens applauded the superiority of Bayelsa Queens over her girls and stated that those defensive blunders from his players caused them to concede those goals. but promised to still finish the league among the top three.
On his part, Coach Moses Aduku stated that his girls are still a work in progress and as such the talk of title-winning is not there for now even though they have extended their lead on the NWFL table.
