By Nodley Wright, Freelance WriterFORMER CHAMPIONS Waterhouse won their first match of the 2003/2004 Wray & Nephew National Premier League with a come from behind 2-1 win over newcomers Invaders at Elletson Wakeland yesterday.
Waterhouse owed their win to an extra time strike from captain Irvino English. Livingston Williams had opened the scoring for Invaders in the 18th minute before Kevin Lamey levelled for Waterhouse in the 44th minute.
The game was a fairly even one with Waterhouse having the better opportunities.
Invaders took the lead against the run of play when Williams capitalised on a mix up in the centre of defence between Baris Johnson and Roger Rodney. He burst onto the top of the 18-yard box and let fly an unstoppable shot past Loxley Reid.
Both teams continued to trade attacks with Johnson having a left-footer saved by Richard McCallum in the Invaders goal.
Waterhouse were to draw level a minute before half-time through Lamey. The lively forward collected a lovely through pass from Vincent Earle, held off challenges from two defenders before blasting past McCallum.
The second half saw both teams creating and missing chances. The game appeared headed for a draw as with two minutes to go McCallum pulled off an excellent close range save from English.
McCallum was not so lucky in extra as English beat him with a wicked free-kick. In the dying seconds of the game defender Jermaine Montaque foolishly fouled Lamey on the edge of the 18-yard box forcing referee Courtney Campbell to award the free-kick. English stepped up and sent an unstoppable left-footer into the top left hand corner of the Invaders net.
"We came from a goal down which showed a lot of character," said Waterhouse coach Barry Brown after his team's first win.
Brown credited his team's will to win for their victory.
"They wanted to win because they felt that we let it slip against Harbour View after playing so well. We felt we needed to win on the road," he said.
"Overall I think it was evenly contested game. It could have gone either way," a disappointed Invaders coach Cassman Williams said at the end of the game. Lack of concentration in defence he said was to blame for their loss. "I think we are still not concentrating in the defensive third as long as we need to. We have been working on some concentration training hoping it will pay off soon," he said. "This is the third match in a row that we gave up a goal in extra time. One of those games we drew and the others we lost."
