Daraine Luton, Freelance Writer
IAN ALLEN, Staff Photographer -
Village United's Ian McAnuff (No.7) gets between Waterhouse players Damion Powell (right) and Vincent Earl, to head the ball past diving goalkeeper Richard McCallum into the back of the net during their Wray and Nephew National Premier League match at Drewsland Mini Stadium yesterday. However, McAnuff's strike, in injury-time, was waved off by referee Hughill Thompson, who cited an infringement. Waterhouse won 3-2.
DESPITE A fiery attempt close to the end of their exciting Drewsland clash yesterday, Village United were denied a point in their Wray and Nephew National Premier League encounter by a disallowed goal in stoppage time that would have tied the game 3-3.
It turned out that the End-of-First round finalists, on the back of national invitee Demar 'Peel-Head' Phillips, were able to breathe lightly as they emerged victorious by the odd goal in five.
With time running out, Village substitute Ian McAnuff found the back of Richard McCallum's net from a Lacon Brissett free-kick, but referee Hughill Thompson ruled that an infringement had occurred in the box and disallowed the goal.
Dr. Dean Weatherly, coach of Village, while happy about the way his side played, felt a refereeing error robbed his team of a point.
"Our objective is to pick up a point on the road. We almost did that. We played well but the officials are human, they make errors and it cost us today," Dr. Weatherly said.
SECOND BRACE OF THE SEASON
Earlier, Phillips, who was the 'Player of the Month' for October, hit his second brace of the season, netting in the 38th and 68th minutes and narrowly missed out on a hat-trick after booting high from four yards, with six minutes left on the clock.
"I wanted it but anxiety got the better of me," said Phillips of the missed hat-trick.
He added: "...But now I am feeling good about myself. I am enjoying my game, I am happy about how I played and also about the way the team played."
The Seaforth High school graduate started the ball rolling for Waterhouse when he sent a defence-splitting pass to Kevin Lamey after finding himself on the end of Roger Rodney's 12th minute clearance. Lamey collected well, raced between defenders Preston Bernard and Gregory Simpson and then from a tight angle, unleashed a right-footed shot that pierced Allien Whittaker at his near post to give Waterhouse the lead.
WILD CELEBRATION
Drewsland went wild, but Lamey did not bother to celebrate even though he had good reasons to, having just registered his seventh goal of the season.
Three minutes later, the wild excitement at Drewsland was curtailed by the pair of Shane Crawford and Gregory Simpson, who combined to erase the one goal deficit. Crawford, as he would later repeat, swung a free-kick from close to the corner flag on the left hand side into Waterhouse's penalty area where the unmarked Simpson headed past goalkeeper Richard McCallum to make the score 1-1.
With Locksley Reid still on the doctor's list, McCallum was brought into the team to take the place of Demetrio Brown - the man whose error cost Waterhouse the first End-of-Round final. But four minutes after watching, Phillips took a pass off Damion Powell, to head past Whittaker and give Waterhouse the lead again. In the 38th minute, McCallum made a big blunder which resulted in Village pulling level once more.
Crawford sent in a floating ball from the corner flag across his six-yard box which McCallum failed to clear, resulting in Warren Ukah heading into the goal to make it 2-2 three minutes before half-time.
Both teams went to the break not only locked on goals, but they also shared ball possession equally on the park.
On resumption, Village were dealt a major blow when key defender Simpson failed to take the field after re-injuring his right ankle and later they lost Crawford to a blistered foot. Their replacements, Ian McAnuff (Simpson) and Jeff Peara (Crawford), stood up well but the half belonged to Phillips.
The slippery midfielder scored his second goal off an Irvino English pass which he deflected past Whittaker off the underside of the crossbar into the goal, making it 3-2 for Waterhouse.
