Effiong’s Brace Sinks Dolphins

–As Abia Warriors condemn Garden City side to first defeat of season

Effiong Ndikerefe scored twice as Abia Warriors Football Club of Umuahia defeated Dolphins of Port-Harcourt 2-1 in a rain-delayed, rescheduled week 2 Glo Premier League encounter at the Umuahia Township Stadium on Thursday.

It was Effiong’s second brace against Dolphins in two consecutive seasons having grabbed the two goals as the home side ran out 2-1 winners at same venue last season.

The game was still goalless on Wednesday when centre referee, Marcus Bwashi from Bauchi State called off the game after the first 45 minutes following a heavy downpour which rendered the pitch unplayable, with the referee announcing that the second half will be played the following morning.

When eventually play resumed Thursday morning, both sides battled hard for the points but the goals refused to come until the 70th minute when Ndifreke Effiong, who scored twice in Abia Warriors’ 2-1 win over Dolphins last season in Umuahia, opened his account this season with a curler near the post.

Twelve minutes later, The Warriors doubled their lead as Chisom Chikatara netted the second but former Abia Warriors striker, Emeka Atulomah pulled one back for the Garden City outfit in the injury time to make the scoreline more respectable.

In his reaction, Abia Warriors Technical Adviser Isa Ladan Bosso expressed gratitude to God for the victory and commended his boys for withstanding the Dolphins onslaught as the game lasted.

He however, lamented the goal conceded by his team in the last minutes of injury time and noted that it was as a result of lack of concentration by his defenders.

Bosso described Dolphins as a good side but said that the better side won.