Instant-Dict, still smarting from their humiliating 5-1 midweek loss to Happy Valley, returned to winning ways in the most emphatic manner at Mongkok Stadium yesterday. But their 4-1 thrashing of overnight league leaders Sun Hei was helped by the fact that Sun Hei finished with nine men after the second-half sendings off of Tseng Siu-wing and Wong Kwok-pun.
Happy Valley climbed back on top of the league standings on goal difference after defeating Rangers 2-1 at Siu Sai Wan Stadium with first-half goals from Brazilian import Luis Carlos Alves da Silva and Scottish forward Paul Ritchie.
Defending champions South China experienced more anxious moments before edging bottom club Po Chai Pills 4-3 at the same venue to pull within a point of Happy Valley and Sun Hei who both have 20 points.
Sun Hei's Tseng was given his marching orders when he picked up his second yellow card a minute before the break for a tackle on Instant-Dict forward Yiu Hok-man. Sun Hei were then left with nine men after Wong kwok-pun was dismissed in the 72nd minute for a clumsy challenge on Yiu.
Nigerian forward Cornelius Udebuluzor gave Sun Hei hope when he crashed home the opening goal in the 27th minute. But Yiu equalised one minute before the break from close range. Then Tam Siu-wai scored the first of his two goals in the 65th minute from the penalty spot after Kim Pan-gon was brought down by Russian goalkeeper Victor Derbounov. After Wong was sent off, it was all downhill for Sun Hei as Instant-Dict struck again through Man Kim-hung in the 87th minute and Tam in the last minute.
The match was officiated by Shanghainese referee Wong Chun-kit as part of an exchange programme with the Hong kong Football Association. But Sun Hei coach Cheung Chi-tak fired a broadside at the visiting referee for 'spoiling the game'.
