By Paul A. Reid, Staff ReporterWESTERN BUREAU:
RIVOLI UNITED booked their place in the second end of round final of the Wray And Nephew National Premier League (NPL) yesterday following their come from behind 2-1 win over Reno at Frome Sports Club.
The win by the Bradley Stewart-coached team takes them to 23 points, which means they will finish and at worst second after next week's final round of matches in the second round.
Only Tivoli Gardens (21), who moved into second place with a 2-0 win over Invaders, can pass them in the standings.
Captain Patrick Beech scored once and created the other as Rivoli scored twice within five minutes on either side of half time to cancel Reno's 32nd minute lead, sending the former three-time champions crashing to their 11th loss of the season.
Nyron Davis, who made his seasonal debut for Reno, gave the home team to lead when he shot in from close range after Dwight Heron had only partially blocked his first shot.
Beech scored a spectacular bicycle kick in the 45th minute to pull his team level and Devon Hodges scored into an empty goal five minutes into the second half after Reno's goalkeeper Kingsley James failed to hold unto a shot from Beech.
Without knowing if his team had done enough to book their place in the finals as word of the other results had not gotten to them, Stewart was happy for the win, telling journalists that "it was a difficult game against a young, hard running team".
The veteran coach said: "You always have to respect Downswell's (Reno's coach Wendell) ability and we got exactly what we expected but luckily we were able to come back...thanks mostly to the experience of Beech."
HIGH PRAISES
Stewart had high praises for his 19 year-old goalkeeper Dennis Clayton, who he said filled in well for national Under-23 shot stopper Allien Whittaker, and had given up just five goals in 10 games since the start of the second round.
After scoring just five goals in their last six outings, Stewart was pleased they could get two yesterday, saying their failure to produce lots of goals has forced them to be "a more fighting team, as we know there is not much for us to get".
Despite failing to win in their last four matches and winning just twice this round, Reno's assistant coach Boysie Nicholson pointed out the positive from the game, saying:
"It was a good game, we saw lots of improvements. The last three games or so we were losing in the last 10-15 minutes."
He said they had lots of chances yesterday but failure to convert had let them down.
Nicholson added that they "were still trying to work out some (player) combinations", pointing out that Davis was making his first start while at least two players who had come in since the start of the transfer period, were getting significant playing time.
The Reno coaching staff had all rights to be frustrated, as they should have led by at least 3-0 after the first 35 minutes when Davis managed to put away one of three great chances.
Martin Williams should have scored in the 4th minute after Clayton failed to hold onto a high cross in his penalty box but the diminutive striker missed the shot badly.
Davis chipped just wide in the 31st minute with only Clayton to beat but atoned a minute later. After getting around the goalkeeper, Davis' shot was blocked by Heron but the defender managed to knee the ball straight to the Reno player who played it into an empty net.
Davis had yet another chance in the 34th minute after Kendrie Quarrie skipped through three Rivoli defenders and passed to him in front of goal, but he missed again.
Beech, who was until then was tightly marked by Carlton Findley, created a special goal when he momentarily freed himself from his marker and his overhead kick beat James into the top of the goal.
Five minutes into the second half Beech again got loose from the Frome Technical schoolboy and his shot flew through James' arms and dropped nicely for Hodges to power into the unprotected goal.
Reno had a chance late in time added on when Clayton was adjudged by referee Orville Sancroft to have held the ball for longer than the seven seconds mandated, but the free kick was hit high over the top of the goal.
H'View lead overall standings
Paul-Andre Walker, Staff Reporter
THANKS TO a Fabian Taylor double, Harbour View climbed back to the top of the all round standings in the Wray and Nephew National Premier League by meting out a 3-0 beating upon cellar dwellers, Star Cosmos, yesterday at the Harbour View Mini-Stadium.
The victory carries Harbour View to 40 points, one above Waterhouse who only managed to garner a draw from their game against Seba. The double by Taylor also puts the forward atop the leading goalscorer standings with 17 goals, two more than Waterhouse's Kevin Lamey.
Jermaine Hue started the ball rolling for Harbour View in the 44th minute while Taylor made the most of the evening with goals in the 54th and 69th minutes.
While the game was lopsided in favour of Harbour View, it was Star Cosmos who started more spritely and it was they who had the first shot on goal. But the wind was quickly knocked from their sails by the pace of Harbour View's counter-attacks and the visitors had to be content with putting numbers behind the ball and trying to contain Harbour View.
PENALTY
The strategy seemed to be working when against the run of play Star Cosmos won a header close to the Harbour View goal with custodian, Leeroy Gray, already beaten. Harbour View's Lovell Palmer, who has been contracted to do the duties of playing centre-half in the absence of national under-23 representative, Christopher Harvey, was adjudged to have used his hand to clear the ball from the line. The resulting penalty was saved by Gray and the threat passed.
The St. Mary based team was made to regret that miss not long after when Hue finally connected properly on a free-kick that he had tried on two occasions before.
After the goal it was all Harbour View and the second half went in much the same fashion.
Winning coach, Donovan Hayles had no problems with the performance of his team:
"I was very pleased with the performance of the team for the whole 90 minutes. We played good quality foible and some of the players that have been working in training are being paid dividends now," he said.
Star Cosmos' coach, Lewin Purser, thought that had things gone a little differently the game could have gone their way:
"We tried to use up the flanks but it didn't work out for us. We got some chances that we should have put away early in the first half. That missed penalty should have been our advantage and that player (Palmer) should have been shown the red card to give us a further advantage," he said.
New recruit does it for Arnett
Daraine Luton, Freelance Reporter
ST. LUCIAN national Jarvin Skeete, who walked through the transfer door just over a week ago, yesterday scored his first goal in the Wray and Nephew National Premier League.
The midfielder, who plies his trade with Arnett Gardens, was the lone man on the scoresheet as the 'junglists' clipped homesters Constant Spring 1-0.
In a game that could be substituted for a Sunday evening walk in the park due to a lack of quality, the 'new kid on the block', Skeete, disgraced Leighton Murray and the entire Constant Spring defence with a clinical 49th minute finish.
Murray had inexplicably dropped a ball swung in from a corner kick, allowing Jonathan Williams to get a shot off which was cleared off the line. However, the ball fell for Skeete who slotted into the net.
Although the game was not the most attractive, both teams exchanged blow for blow on the pitch, both physical and football wise. However, the Arnett Garden's defence stole the show. Manned by sweeper Shane Stephens and stoppers Marlon Benbow and Jerry Walters, Constant Spring found Arnett's backline hard to beat. On the few occasions that the trio was taken apart, experienced goalie Julian McLeish made life difficult for the home strikers.
BEST SCORING OPPORTUNITY
Constant Spring's best scoring opportunity came in the 67th minute when Jermaine Richards let fly from outside the box. The ball seemed to be dipping under the bar at the last moment but brilliant goalkeeping by McLeish resulted in the ball being tipped over for a corner.
Minutes later, there was action at the other end of the field. A Garth Boota free kick was met by Gregory Messam but with the 'keeper alone to beat Messam, who stole in behind the defence, headed off target.
Arnett was forced to pull out their veteran attacker Denton Shedden in the 82nd minute, after Spring's big-bodied defender Marlon Bennett's boot caught the skinny man in the rib cage. Bennett got away with only a few words from referee Victor Thompson while Shedden was whisked away by ambulance. That bit of foul play nearly brought luck for the Junglists as Cornel-Chin Sue hit the resulting free kick onto Murray's woodwork.
The three points earned by Arnett took them 25 and seventh in the 12-team competition. With one set of games left in the second round, they have already doubled the 11 points they picked up in round one.
Said Arnett's coach Jerome Waite: "The ultimate prize is not the most important thing at the time. The most important thing is to remain in contention and that at the end of the day ensure we are still in the Premier League."
Constant Spring's Geoffrey Max-well said: "Our defence was disgraceful. Losing 1-0 with a soft goal is a disappointment.
Tivoli close in on final
Nodley Wright, Freelance Writer
FORMER CHAMPIONS Tivoli Gardens moved closer to the second end of round final with a solid 2-0 win over the promoted Invaders FC at the Elliston Wakeland Sports Complex yesterday.
Tivoli Gardens advanced to 21 points, three behind round two pacesetters Rivoli, who stopped Reno 2-1.
Tivoli's closest rivals Portmore United ad Village FC played to draws yesterday and are two points behind. With one round of matches to go Tivoli have the points advantage over the other teams but have the most difficult fixture against Waterhouse.
Former Arnett Gardens midfielder Fabian Davis got Tivoli on their way in the 10th minute when he stepped up to convert a penalty, after Lenworth Hyde Jnr, was fouled in the 18-yard box by Carlos Christie.
Invaders refused to lay down and play dead but with just the speedy and ineffective Thomas Grant playing up front, they lacked the fire power to pierce the defensive unit led by Kasai Hinds. As such goalkeeper Philmore Crumbie had little to worry about.
Invaders made a more promising start at the beginning of the second half as they tried to stifle Tivoli Gardens.
In the first 15 minutes Invaders competed equally with the visitors and the skilful Andrew Chisholm became almost invisible.
Chisholm's invisibility was to disappear momentarily as he reappeared to put the game beyond Invaders' reach in the 68th minute.
WRIGGLED FREE
Denroy Gordon played a long ball out of defence to Hyde Jnr on the left flank. He wriggled himself free of a challenger and played inside to Fabian Malcolm. Malcolm's shot was blocked with the rebound falling to Chisholm, who made no mistake.
Invaders threw on some substitutes but they could not pull a goal back. Their best chance of the half fell to Sheldon Bryan who blasted wide of an empty goal from just about the edge of the 18-yard box.
"It was a good boost for us to get to the end of round final," said a relaxed Tivoli Gardens coach Glendon 'Admiral' Bailey.
His team, he added, applied themselves.
"Steve Green did a wonderful job in midfield dictating the play and giving us the upper hand in that department. We really controlled the midfield," said Bailey.
Invaders' Cassman Williams said his players failed to follow instructions.
"The players did not play to instructions. I requested of them to play the Tivoli Gardens team close because if you close them down they do not play well but if you give them space then they will cause problems," said Williams.
His team's chances were not made any easier by the fact that they failed to take advantage of goal opportunities created.
"You win some and lose some but this was really a tough loss."
Late strike hurts Portmore
LeVaughn Flynn, Staff Reporter
DEFENDING CHAMPS Portmore United may have thrown away their chance of a second round final appearance after conceding a last minute goal against Seba at the Ferdie Neita Park yesterday, to settle for a 1-1 draw in their Wray & Nephew National Premier League (NPL) clash.
Last year's NPL winners gave up a goal in the 89th minute of play after taking the lead in the 25th minute courtesy of an Andrew Morrison header. Substitute Denton Vidal scored the all important goal for Seba.
With one round of matches remaining before the end of round final on Sunday, Portmore are tied for third with Village on 19 points in the second round and are fourth overall with 38. Seba have 10 points in the second round and are second from bottom overall with 19 points. Rivoli United (23) have already qualified and Tivoli Gardens (21) lead the remaining teams.
Portmore dominated Seba for most of the game but Seba's attack went from latent to lethal late in the second half due mostly to the inclusion of Denzil Watson and Vidal.
"We had the game for about 70 or 75 minutes but I think we lapsed later in the second half," said Portmore's coach Lenworth Hyde.
"We weren't playing with the high intensity that we started out with and when you play that way and lose concentration this is what will happen. We gave up a little soft goal in the last minute of play," he said.
"We can't play for 70 minutes and expect to win the Cup or defend our title," he added.
Seba's new coach Tommy Taylor's debut was almost a disaster if it were not for the late surge and goal.
"The first 45 minutes we were dire, which was terrible, (but) I thought the last 20 minutes we dominated the game," Taylor said.
Taylor admitted that "there's load of work to be done (on the team)" and that he knows they are not championship contenders but in the mean time they will "pickup as many points and win as many games as possible to make the team better."
