The 905 Derby belongs to Forge FC again, as they saw off local rivals York9 FC on Sunday with a 2-1 win at Tim Hortons Field. With three more points pocketed, the Hammers climbed back into first place in the CPL’s Fall standings, taking a one-point advantage over Cavalry FC.

The first hour of the match was about as smooth as Forge could’ve hoped for, as their attack overwhelmed the Nine Stripes completely. Tristan Borges put the Hammers on the board first in the 21st minute, as Kyle Bekker found him with a sublime through ball from deep in midfield. Finishing coolly with a shot to the far post, Borges banked his eighth goal of the year to make it 1-0.

Although their scoring opportunities were abundant in the first half, it wasn’t until after the break that Forge found the net again. Chris Nanco swung a cross into the box and Jonathan Grant centered it with a header. Marcel Zajac, unmarked in the six-yard box, smashed it into the net with a header of his own for his first of the season.

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York9 boss Jimmy Brennan attempted to spark his side’s attack with substitutions early in the second half, as his side woke up in search of a goal. They found one in the 65th minute, as Wataru Murofushi won his team a penalty. He put the spot kick away with a clean finish, as he sent Forge keeper Triston Henry diving the wrong way. The visitors then threw all they had at their opponents, spending plenty of time in the attacking third as their remaining time ticked away.

The comeback attempt ultimately fell short for York9, though, as Forge held them off for a well-deserved triumph. It was a frustrating afternoon for the Nine Stripes, who couldn’t quite solve their rival’s backline.

Both these clubs will be in action again midweek on the road. York9 will be on the west coast on Wednesday, as they take on Pacific FC at Westhills Stadium (10:00 p.m. ET, 7:00 p.m. PT, on OneSoccer). Forge, meanwhile, heads to Winnipeg to take on Valour FC on Thursday (8:00 p.m. ET, 7:00 p.m. CT, on OneSoccer).

Box Score

Goals
21′ – Tristan Borges (Forge FC)
52′ – Marcel Zajac (Forge FC)
65′ – Wataru Murofushi (York9 FC)

Discipline
38′ Yellow – Morey Doner (York9 FC)

Three Key Performers

Tristan Borges (Forge FC)

The 21-year-old was at his best for this one. His goal was a textbook finish to the far post, and he caused serious problems for Y9 in a central midfield role, away from his more typical spot out wide. He was at the root of most of Forge’s chances, with seven key passes on top of two shots of his own.

Diyaeddine Abzi (York9 FC)

The left fullback was one of the lone bright spots in this Nine Stripes performance. He brought a lot of energy with spirited runs up the touchline, and he was arguably the most creative player on the pitch for the visitors. He finished with a solid 88% passing accuracy.

Kyle Bekker (Forge FC)

The pivot of Forge’s buildup play, Bekker (like Borges) had his fingerprints on everything that went right for the Hammers. He led his side with 100 touches and 89 passes, finding his target with 91% of his attempts.