By Paul-Andre Walker, Staff Reporter
Waterhouse striker Kevin Lamey dribbles away from two Tivoli defenders during their Wray and Nephew National Premier League match at Edward Seaga Stadium yesterday. Lamey scored Waterhouse's first goal in the 2-2 draw. - RUDOLPH BROWN/Staff Photographer
TIVOLI GARDENS, back from their victorious stint against the Bassa Football Club in the CFU Club Championships, failed to restart their Wray and Nephew National Premier League campaign on a winning note yesterday, fighting to a 2-2 draw with Waterhouse at Edward Seaga Stadium.
Tivoli went ahead twice, scoring in the seventh minute through Fabian Davis and Christopher Nicholas in the 81st, while Waterhouse scored through Kevin Lamey (12th) and substitute Weston Forrest in time-added-on.
Tivoli and Waterhouse exchanged blows evenly throughout a game that was marked by midfield tussles and strong defending.
MARKING PROBLEMS
Waterhouse showed the same marking problems that plagued them against Harbour View and from an Orane Simpson corner, Davis was gifted a goal with a free header inside the box.
Waterhouse struck back to go on even keel when newcomer Adrian Reid played a good ball out of defence, finding Oneil Robinson with his back to goal. Robinson turned and flicked on a lovely ball that saw Lamey being played just onside. Tivoli's defenders then made the cardinal error of waiting for the assistant referee to hold up his flag. That flag was not forthcoming and Lamey used the opportunity to storm into the box and slam the ball past Philmore Crumbie.
The game was then brought to a lull until Davis was ejected after getting a yellow carded for dissent, four minutes before receiving another yellow for an off-the-ball foul.
Being a man down, Tivoli couldn't attack in the mannner that they wanted and many a time, Roland Dean had to take on players all by himself, without much effect.
The inability of Tivoli to attack during this period was blamed on the officiating by their coach Glendon 'Admiral Bailey.
"With these referees, nothing is safe these days. It's like when they come to the football, they come with objectives and do all that is in their power to ensure that at the end of the day their team comes out on top," ranted an aggrieved Bailey.
However, 10-man Tivoli made Waterhouse pay for their unenterprising football when a moment of indecision by sweeper Desmond Breakenridge and goalkeeper Richard McCallum gave Nicholas who had been having a hard time after coming on not long before a gift to score.
CARDINAL SIN
With time running out, Tivoli again made the cardinal sin of going to sleep, a mistake that Lamey knew all too well how to exploit. Receiving a long ball out of defence, Lamey opted to play an early square from out wide. The delivery was miscontrolled in the box but Forrest was there to stab home the loose ball to give 'Firehouse' a share of the points.
"It wasn't the same as last week; we played much better we performed better. I was afraid of losing the two players to yellow cards so I took them away. It was disappointing in the sense that we gave up simple goals," said Waterhouse coach Peter Cargill.
