GROVE Hi Tech Football Club regained the lead in the Stag Beer-sponsored East Bank Football Association division one League Thursday with a 2-0 win over Diamond United at the Grove Playfield.

The win continues the trend of the lead changing among the leading teams as the battle for the first prize of $300 000 and bragging rights as the best in the association persists.
The lone game on Labour Day, a day set aside for workers to celebrate their hard work over the past year, saw Grove go to work very early in the showdown. Diamond had hardly settled in when they and found themselves trailing, as Wayne Andries blasted home in the first minute of play.
Certainly, the boys from one of the biggest areas on the East Bank did not bargain for that but they gradually worked their way back into contention by limiting the many forward moves by the host team.
However, Diamond found themselves further pegged back when Timothy Griffith doubled the advantage for Grove in the 23rd minute. Grove, as they had set out to do, asserted themselves by netting early goals to put the opposition on the back foot.
But it was not all smooth sailing thereafter as Diamond eventually found their range and were rock-solid defending whilst creating problems for the home team whenever they got into the final third.
The second half saw Diamond reduce the deficit and even drawing the game, but did not sink the chances they created as they piled on the pressure on the Grove defence and goalkeeper Michael Matthews.
The three points they gained from the game takes them to 15, two more than Agricola who have played one game less. Diamond remain on four points from five matches.
Rivalry will continue tomorrow with a double-header and one game on Monday.
Tomorrow, Timehri Panthers will come up against Soesdyke Falcons from 13:00hrs with the feature bringing together Mocha Champs and Herstelling in what is anticipated to be a keen battle as both teams are chasing their first points of the league.
In the lone game on Monday Agricola will take on Kuru Kururu Warriors from 15:00hrs.