Bath Estate has secured its return to the DFA Premier League after a commanding 4–1 win over Connect 767 Courts Ready Cash East Central in the playoff match held over the weekend at the DFA Technical Center.
East Central opened the scoring when Nathan Newton converted from the penalty spot. However, their lead lasted only seconds. Immediately after the restart, Montel James struck from midfield after a fumble by the East Central goalkeeper, bringing Bath Estate level and shifting the momentum of the match.
From that point, Bath Estate took complete control, adding three unanswered goals to seal the victory. Montel James finished with a double, while Anfrenee Frederick and Giovanni George each added a goal to cap off the dominant performance.
Bath Estate Head Coach, Michael Joseph, said the team is thrilled to return to the Premier League, crediting the players for their determination and effort throughout the season. “We knew it was the biggest game of the season for both clubs, so I think both teams came out firing and confident to win. We went down through a penalty in the first half, but I think the penalty itself woke up the guys, and we did well to come out 4–1,” he said.
He added, “The goal was always to return to the Premier League within that first year. We got our first opportunity in the finals against Avengers, congrats to them, but we were not able to win the finals at that time. So the second bite of the cherry was tonight. Congratulations to the boys; job well done with the 4–1 victory.”
The defeat means East Central has been relegated to Division One, with coach Stanton Seraphine calling the outcome “a tough pill to swallow.”
Head Coach of the East Central Football Club, Stanton Seraphine said, “Yeah, Garvin…tough one. We’re disappointed. I just felt we didn’t play our brand of football. I think we started well and scored the first goal, but then we conceded right from the kickoff again, and from there I felt we just lost focus. Bath Estate capitalized on our mistakes, and that’s the result. We’re back down to the First Division, but that’s life. We go back, we build, continue working with the youngsters, and come back stronger.”
When asked about the immediate plans for the club to return to the Premier League, he continued:
“Well, I think it’s about doing a bit of restructuring. We have to start working with some of our younger players, our under-20 players, getting them into the senior team and bringing that positive vibe back into the club. Players have to love playing football, love coming to training, and be willing to give their best. A few years ago, East Central won the President’s Cup, so there’s still a lot for us. We still have many good players, and we’ll definitely get back.”
With the playoff results finalized, Bath Estate and Mighty Avengers will join the Premier League next season, while DS FC and East Central move down to the Division One League.
