Daraine Luton, Freelance Writer
Tivoli Gardens double goalscorer, Jermaine Allen (right), battles for the ball with St. George's Jadmair Holloway during Manning Cup action at Winchester Park, St. George's College yesterday. The game ended 2-2. - Carlington Wilmot/Freelance Photographer
PREVIOUSLY UN-BEATEN Tivoli Gardens squandered a 2-0 lead at Winchester Park, St. George's College yesterday and had to be content with a point from a 2-2 draw as action continued in the ISSA Pepsi/JN Manning Cup.
Last year's leading goalscorer, Jermaine Allen, lifted Tivoli on a pedestal with a goal in the 23rd minute and a 31st minute penalty but namesake Jermaine Gardener responded with a brace to leave both teams level in an evenly contested encounter.
FIRST GOAL
Gardener, who won the Manning Cup with Excelsior last year, got his first in the 36th minute after Tivoli's goalkeeper, Andrew Hylton, dived over a shot from the top of the penalty area.
His second goal was the end result of a peach of a pass from substitute Kemal Malcolm, which he drove superbly past Hylton to level the score on 61 minutes. Malcolm, who demonstrated signs of brilliance, had barely been on the park 10 minutes. He had replaced striker Nicardo Evans who disappointed on every occasion on which he was given the ball in the penalty box.
Evans missed four clear scoring opportunities including one at the backpost in the second minute which required just a tap.
St. George's College coach Neville 'Bertis' Bell felt that if Evans had converted the early chance his team might have come out winners.
"We got the chances but we never scored the goals. If we had started a bit better we could have come out with the three points," Bell said.
Despite his team being without a victory after three games, Bell was happy for the point.
TOUGH GOING
"It has been tough going for us, so I am happy for the point. However, at this stage of the competition we need to get some more points, hopefully they will come Wednesday (against Kingston High). In a competition like this you need to score points. It's either you do that or go home and I am not ready to go home," Bell said.
Meanwhile, Tivoli, who dropped their first points, welcomed the result. Their manager Brian Rose said the draw was "a good result for the team".
However with Waterford, who are joint first with Tivoli, waiting in the wings on Wednesday, Rose said that game "will be tough" and thus his boys will have to prepare well.
YESTERDAY'S RESULTS
Group B
| Dunoon | 2 | Charlie Smith | 4 |
| Calabar | 3 | Ardenne | 1 |
| Tarrant | 0 | Vauxhall | 0 |
Group D
| St. George's | 2 | Tivoli | 2 |
| E Dalton-James | 4 | Kingston High | 1 |
Group F
Wolmer's 1 Spanish Town 0
