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Table-toppers Dilmun Club edged out title challengers Rugby Club 3-2 in the latest fiery encounter for the GulfWeekly Premiership Trophy.
Both clubs were playing with depleted forces with the Dilly boys losing influential Steve Rutter and hotshot Eamon Egan who was crocked playing in a friendly match between the Arsenal Soccer School coaches and the parents of their pupils. The Rugby Club had skipper Stewart Smith serving a one match suspension.
The early stages of the game were dominated by the Rugby Club with creative midfielder Adil Glia winning the early exchanges with Dilmun captain David Lord.
The Rugby Club finally got their reward after a deft header from Derrick Rodney put them 1-0 up although Dilly midfielder Alan Gallagher equalised with a header of his own.
Tackles started to fly in and Gareth Brown was shown a yellow card. A big punt up from the Rugby keeper was well won by Del Rodney and his clever through ball saw Glia touch it past a rushing defender and finish neatly into the top corner to make the scoreline 2-1 in favour of the Rugby Club.
As the Rugby Club pushed for a third goal Dilmun won a disputed free kick after a breakaway move. Defender Chris Binnion's subsequent long range effort squeezed through the defence for an equaliser.
Protests raged and Rugby Club defender Austin Rudman saw red moments later for dissent.
With the Rugby Club needing to win the game to stay in the title race they pushed for a winner but were again caught on the break with defender Simon Bromyard left facing three Dilmun attackers. One effort crashed against the post before Dilmun's Ian 'Hollywood' Charlton managed to poke the rebound home for victory.
The second match of the evening saw Saar Eagles beat the British School of Bahrain 2-1 despite the school taking an early lead through Ollie Hunt.
James McCrystal produced an excellent finish for the equaliser before Gary Mclean tied up the points with a deflected shot.
