WESTERN BUREAU -
A HAT-TRICK from midfielder Dean Folkes highlighted Reno's 5-3 win over Olympic Gardens in their National Premier League game at Frome Sports Club yesterday.
Folkes scored the lone goal in the first half that gave no indication of the slugfest that was to come in the second half.
Leyton Barrett scored twice for Olympic Gardens, who played the last 15 minutes with only 10 players as Oniel Fyffe, Olympic's top player, picked up a knee injury after the team had made their three substitutions.
Folkes gave Reno the lead after just six minutes when he scored from just inside the 18-yard box but his team had to wait until six minutes into the second half to add to the lead.
It was Folkes again as he squeezed a direct free kick between goalkeeper Julian McLeish and the near post.
Fyffe pulled one back for Olympic in the 53rd minute when he scored past Aaron Lawrence with a diving header. However, Lawrence restored his team's two-goal advantage three minutes later when he converted from the penalty spot after Nyron Davis was hauled down inside the Olympic Gardens' penalty box by defender Adrian Smith.
Olympic were given a lifeline when Barrett struck for two goals to bring his team back on level terms. He headed one past Lawrence in the 64th minute then scored again in the 73rd minute, as the Reno players seemed to lose their concentration.
It was the introduction of the experienced Michael Graham who made the ultimate difference as two of his first three touches resulted in goals.
With his second touch of the ball, the former national player worked his way down the right flank and squared to Folkes who completed his hat-trick in the 82nd minute.
Three minutes later, Graham rounded off the scoring when he finished off a great move by kicking past a hapless McLeish.
By Paul A. Reid
Staff Reporter
