Village hold Arnett

By Nodley Wright, Staff Reporter

Arnett Gardens midfielder Fabian Davis climbs high to take the ball on his chest under a challenge from Village United's Loxley Thomas during yesterday's National Premier League match at the Tony Spaulding Sports Complex.

NEWLY promoted Village United made a strong start to the 2001/2002 National Premier League season when they came from behind to hold champions Arnett Gardens to a 1-1 draw.

Fabian Davis fired his team into the lead in the 36th minute while Village captain Mark Williams levelled the score in time added.

At the Tony Spaulding Sports Complex, a sizeable crowd, mostly Arnett Gardens supporters, turned out expecting to see a show. And that they did get, especially in the first half as Walter Boyd turned on the style.

After an uncertain start when they allowed Village to dictate the game, Arnett Gardens settled down and took the action to the visitors who chose to counter attack.

Arnett Gardens centered their play around Boyd, Davis and Cornel Chin-Sue while Village worked through Fabian Dawkins, Conroy Graham and the very steady Ian McAnuff. The early loss of national invitee Shane Crawford did not affect Village as his more robust replacement Loxley Thomas exerted a lot of influence in the second half.

There was a scare for Arnett Gardens in the 29th minute as the unsure-looking Alroy Nicholson almost put the ball into his own net with an attempted clearance.

Boyd, however, was a constant threat and Williams made it clear early that he would stop him by fair or foul means. The former national forward played a part in Davis' goal when his back-header from a Shedden cross hit the goalkeeper and rebounded into the path of last season's most valuable player. With all the time in the world, Davis picked his spot and blasted home.

Immediately after the goal Arnett increased the tempo with Boyd taking even more license to display his trickery, lifting the crowd to its feet. In the 37th minute, Kwame Richardson temporarily transformed himself into a spectator as Boyd mesmerised two defenders. His transformation cost Arnett Gardens as when the cross came he was unable to react.

Two minutes later Boyd created an even clearer opening for Richardson with a deceptive pass. With only the goalkeeper Elvis Hart and a largely empty goal facing him he kicked wide.

A strong talking to by coach Orville Tate saw a change in Village's approach to the game. They controlled almost the entire second half.

Dawkins had a more active role as both himself and Thomas ran at Arnett Gardens who failed to respond. Forward Teofore Bennett also sprang to life as the game became one-way traffic with Village using the flanks to their advantage. Only Gerald Neil was able to keep up with the pace defensively.

Village would not capitalise on their dominance as they tried to force the issue going for power when composure was required. Both teams introduced the changes as the second half wound down.

Arnett Gardens got back into the game briefly but saw substitutes Donovan Smith and Everton Bunsie hit wide. Derrington Russell almost put Arnett Gardens two up in the 79th when in trying to deny Boyd access to a Davis pass, he directed ball towards his own goal but Hart managed to scramble a save.

Ian Belford who came on as a substitute missed from the goalmouth but his team would not go home empty-handed. A through pass from Russell found Bennett free. He dismissed a diving Collins twice before crossing for Williams to sink a diving header.

Coach Orville Tate was a plased man at the end. "We are definitely happy and you will be seeing much more from the Village team," he said.

Jerome Waite felt that his team lost focus in the second half. "At one point the players spent more time quarrelling instead of their respective duties.

"We created quite a few chances and should have won this game by at least three clear goals. We have a lot of work to do and we just have to take it one step at a time.

Arnett Gardens 1 Village United 1

Hazard 2 Duhaney Park 1

Harbour View 2 Tivoli Gardens 1

Wadadah 2 Constant Spring 2

Reno 2 Waterhouse 2

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