HK Scottish Stags continued to set the pace alongside DBFC with both sides scoring easy wins on Friday and Saturday respectively. Kicking the weekend off in style, Stags saw off Goodfellas with a dominant 5-1 win, playing with confidence they raced into a 3 nil lead and never looked back. Jack Tian did grab a consolation for Fellas, but a brace from Aaron Tennant and solitary strikes from Jevon Marsh, Joseph Jenkinson and Miles Winter saw Stags go top overnight. However, a similarly comprehensive performance by Discovery Bay saw them return to the summit after they disposed of Corinthians 5-0. Cors were well in the game at half time as they only trailed 1-0 to a Makito Shirahige goal, but a missed opportunity to equalize was punished as DB ran away with it in the second half. David Rollinson, Benji Ortega (2) and an own goal were the scorers to leave DBFC with a goal difference of plus 19, four more than the Stags.

The chasing pack all won as well, with Tropics coming from 2-1 down to win 3-2 against Scottish Eagles in a tough battle out in Tai Po with a result that keeps them in third spot. Tropicana were one up thanks to a Joost Opstal header from a corner, but Eagles equalized just after the interval through George Fenwick. Two perfect Eagle passes and a back post header by Fenwick had Eagales 2-1 up shortly after. However, Tropicana turned things around with two goals in two minutes just before the last water break. Firstly, late substitute Kyle Wagner volleyed home then veteran fat boy Stephen Cairns looped one into the corner after Guru Singh had raced clear. Eagles fought hard to force an equalizer, but Tropics saw the game out to claim another three points.

Irish Harps remain in fourth but had to do it the hard way against a resilient Soho Spartans side. Soho took the lead early on through Gabe Brettell, but Harps then had the better of the game with lots of possession and chances. Ronan O’Boyle eventually found a way through midway through the second half and Tom Enk popped up with the winner in the last two minutes to break Soho hearts. Wanchai Spartans put on a scintillating display to remain well in the hunt four points off the top thanks to a 5-3 win against KCC Cavs on Monday. Sparts were fastest out of the traps and Ali Thompson scored from range, before Oli Baijings made it two. Nikhil Narwani got Cavs back in the game with a tidy finish, but Yann Guermeur took advantage of some slack defending before Baijings grabbed his second and Sparts fourth. Right on half time, Aron Ruszel hit a free-kick into the top corner from 40-yards with a goal of the season contender to make it 4-2. The second half was less frantic but saw both sides add another goal each- Thompson with his second for Wanchai, Narwani with his second for Cavs from the spot as the game petered out.

Lastly in round eight, Germany took on Japan out in Tai Po on Saturday afternoon and it was the Krauts who shaded this one. J-Leaguers scored early on with a free kick from Susumu Hatakeyama and that was how things stayed until half time. After the interval though, Krauts got an equalizer from a corner and were soon 2-1 in front. J-Leagues though fought back and Daichi Okamoto made it 2-2. Unfortunately for the Japanese boys though, HK Krauts were able to get a late winner to leave them in sixth place on 13 points, while J-League stay in the bottom two on three points. Simon Sarnowski hit two with Florian Puchinger getting the other goal for Krauts, who were kind enough to buy their counterparts a big bucket of beers to drown their sorrows. This weekend sees the cup return after most games were cancelled with the typhoon a few weeks ago…