- Rudolph Brown/Chief Photographer
Waterhouse's Richard West (right), controls the ball while Arnett Gardens' Jermaine Benjamin defends in yesterday's Wray and Nephew National Premier League at the Tony Spaulding Sports Complex. Waterhouse won 1-0.
LeVaughn Flynn, Staff Reporter
WATERHOUSE MUSTERED up an inspirational 1-0 win over rivals Arnett Gardens at the Tony Spaulding Complex yesterday as the top teams in the Wray and Nephew National Premier League (NPL) make a dash for the first End of Round final.
Most importantly for Waterhouse, they are now in second spot with 20 points, two behind leaders Harbour View. Arnett remained in fifth position on 16 points and will have to greatly improve on yesterday's performance if they wish to contend the first round play-off.
ANTICIPATED DUEL
The intensity of the match hung in the air over the complex before the game but what the fans received, from Arnett in particular, was a game that lacked the verve of the anticipated duel.
Arnett ailed without stabilising midfielder Cornel Chin-Sue and Jonathan Williams and Keith Kelly failed in providing through passes.
Waterhouse jumped ahead in the 29th minute after Kevin Lamey was on the receiving end of a Demar Phillips' cross from the left side which he knocked past Julian McLeish. "My job is to score goals and inspire the team and as long as I'm playing I'm here to do that," stated Lamey after scoring his sixth goal for the season.
Arnett fans were expecting a better second half from their team and though Arnett had most of the possession, Waterhouse were already content with their slim margin and locked the backline.
BAD DAY
"This was just a bad day for us today," said Arnett's coach, Jerome Waite.
Waterhouse have their eyes set on repeating last year's success when they won the end-of-round final.
"Our objective here is the end of round final," said assistant coach Max Straw. "Today it was all about focus, you don't come down to the Jungle and walk away with points like that."
Roger Rodney and Weston Forrest had two golden opportunities to increase Waterhouse's tally but goalie McLeish was excellent in denying them.
