Gilligan's back on attack mode, rips Archers

MANILA, Philippines - Facing an opponent that came to play instead of going all defensive, Stallion Gilligan’s drubbed Green Archers United, 5-2, to wrest back the lead in the United Football League at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium yesterday.

Jovanie Simpron knocked down two goals (42” and 78”) while the league’s top scorer Lee Joo Young got one in (15”), his seventh of the tourney, as the Stallion bounced back from a scoreless draw the last time out against a compact and hard-fighting Pasargad side.

With their fourth triumph against a stalemate, the Stallion vaulted back into the top of the leaderboard with 13 points, bumping off idle Loyola Meralco Sparks (12 points on a 4-0-1 slate).

“We had the game on hand. We knew we had to win this game so we would end up at the top of the table. Sayang yung sa Pasargad; but at least we showed we were able to adjust based on that game,” said Stallion coach Ernie Nierras.

After firing blanks against Pasargad, Stallion’s scorers hit their marks against the Archers (0-1-4, one point), with Lee finding the back of the net 15 minutes into the game after his shot was deflected in by an Archer defender.

Tating Pasilan tied it on a getaway at the 33rd but Stallion regained control on Simpron’s shot that was deflected but found its way in for a 2-1 count. Bervic Italia made it 3-1 at the 57th but Pasilan put the Archers closer with his own connection 10 minutes later.

Simpron and Pi Yong Jae’s goals (78” and 90”) sealed it for the Stallion, who hardly missed the absence of Ruben Doctora, currently with the Azkals in Dubai.

“The Green Archers played and fought, (unlike) against Pasargad where they’re very defensive. It also helped that we were able to score first and the game opened up,” said Nierras.“In the last five minutes, our game was back – we’re just making passes and we even scored towards the end. That’s what we’re going to do all the time – be able to open up, find those lanes. At first there were hesitations for whatever reason but at least after that, we returned to our old system – a one-touch football, looking for the angles and attacking the angles,” he added.