Angelo Simmons scored two of Dandy Town’s three first-half goals as they beat a Social Club side who continue to find life difficult in the top flight.

Kwame Steede, the Town coach, expressed how significant the result was for his team.

“This was an important victory for us to maintain pace with the teams that are directly above us,” he said. “It was particularly important to get the early goals that we did, as it allowed us to play with a little more comfort on the ball.”

Dandy Town were having joy particularly down the left flank, while Social Club looked dangerous with a number of early free kicks around the penalty area.

Social Club thought that they had scored from one of these set pieces in the tenth minute. Clay Darrell glanced a header in at the back post but he was flagged for offside. To make matters worse, two minutes later, they found themselves down a goal when Simmons picked up a loose ball in the box, went across his man, and scored with an accurate shot that went in off the far post.

The goal seemed to settle the home team, but just as they began to take control, Social Club were gifted a goal against the run of play.

Town goalkeeper Troy Hall Jr miskicked a back-pass that popped into the air, which he then elected to catch. The referee had no choice but to blow the whistle for an indirect free kick. Darrell buried the lay-off with a firm drive.

Social Club were playing with belief and looked more likely to score the next goal, but it was the home team who went ahead once again, through Damon Ming who finished calmly after being played in by Simmons. The telling blow then came just before half when Oneko Lowe curled a pass around the back of the defence for Simmons, who calmly slotted home.

Social Club were the aggressors in the second half and may have got back into the match had they been more clinical with their chances.

GOALS

Dandy Town

A Simmons 12, 42, Ming 27

Social Club

C Darrell 18

TEAMS

Dandy Town: T Hall — O Lowe, A Simmons, D Ming, E Trott, L Tucker, J Shrubb (sub: I Coke 70min), K Simmons, A Russell (sub: D Walker 75), K Lathan (sub: S Campbell 61), E Blakendal. Substitutes not used: K Steede, J Manders, G Liburd. Booked: A Simmons, Trott, Tucker.

Social Club: K Francois — D Simons, M Smith, N Armstrong, C Darrell, P Darrell (sub: C Burgess 65), C Woolridge, K Lightbourne, D Hill (sub: A Purnell 55), T Fubler (sub: K Butterfield, 45), J Lewis-Trott. Substitutes not used: R Trott, G Saltus, J Outerbridge.

Referee: M Wyer