Prime contenders Phnom Penh Crown and Boeung Ket Angkor came out of the weekend’s action in the Metfone C League with victories in contrasting style to remain joint leaders as the field behind them are beginning to struggle in the first leg of the competition.

At the Army Stadium yesterday, Boeung Ket dismantled Asia Europe United 6-0 to tally 22 points from eight matches, level with Phnom Penh Crown, who had to work a lot harder to wear down Western Phnom Penh 5-3 at the Western Stadium on Saturday.

The defending champions crossed over with a three goal buffer but ran into a resurgent Western who put up a sterling second-half show before the five-time champions asserted themselves.

The victory margin left Boeung Ket with a healthy goal difference in relation to Crown, who owed their win to a hat-trick by Shane Booysen and his lucrative partnership with Bisan George.

Playing at home, Svay Rieng got the better of National Defence Ministry 3-2 on the back of Dzarma Bata’s triple strike.

In Saturday’s other matches, Build Bright United beat Kirivong Sok Sen Chey 1-0 at the Bati Center while two-time champions and this year’s Hun Sen Cup runners-up NagaWorld went down 1-2 to Cambodian Tiger FC.