ACE Duka took three points from A1 action on Friday, seeing off Ainaikos 36:27 at home. The result keeps the hosts in eighth place, two points clear of the visitors who sit eleventh. By then, the margin had grown beyond what either side expected after five rounds.
To be fair, the away side had looked sharper in their last outing, beating Xanthi 38:33 away from home. That victory lifted them off the bottom of the table, though they remain winless in four of their five games. Duka, meanwhile, have not won since their victory over PAOK on the 5th. The visitors came in looking to build momentum.
The home side's defensive work was the key. They held Ainaikos to just 27 goals despite the visitors finding space in the early exchanges. And here's the thing — the match turned when Duka tightened things up in the middle period, forcing errors that cost the away team dearly.
We had called this one in advance, backing the hosts at 58 per cent confidence. The prediction came through, though not without Ainaikos making it competitive for stretches. The old head settled them down when the visitors pushed back, and Duka held on grimly to seal the win.
The gap between the sides now stands at two points, though the table tells only part of the story. Duka move into a better position after three losses, while Ainaikos face a difficult run ahead. The result means the hosts can spring a surprise in the coming fixtures. The visitors will need to find more consistency if they are to climb.
