Kwesi Mugisa, Staff Reporter
Tivoli Gardens' Daviean Laing (right) and Village United's Athol Franklin battle to get the ball during their Wray and Nephew National Premier League match at the Edward Seaga Stadium yesterday. Village United won 3-2. - JUNIOR DOWIE/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
VILLAGE UNITED kicked off the new year in explosive fashion as they blasted their way into the Wray and Nephew National Premier League top three following an exciting 3-2 come from behind victory over Tivoli Gardens at the Edward Seaga Sports Complex yesterday.
However, they had to dig deep to do so. Having secured a late first half lead, they quickly fell victim to an early second half Tivoli flurry, which saw the home team score two goals in four minutes, quickly putting the visitors into a 2-1 hole.
In a very physical encounter certainly not lacking for robust challenges, the home team may feel that they were a bit unlucky to fall behind in the 41st minute courtesy of Victor Thompson's own goal.
Thompson inadvertently stabbed the ball past his own custodian, Damion Crooks, following a low Teofore Bennett shot, which was whipped across goal with plenty of ferocity.
STRANDED 'KEEPER
Roland Dean quickly made up for Thompson's mistake in the second half, when he pounced upon a deflected shot and coolly held his nerve to slot the ball past a stranded Village 'keeper Elvis Heart, to bring his team back on level terms.
Horace Howell extended the lead when he charged down a mis-hit shot from Nicholas Mcreath, beating Hart to the ball and slotting it home to give his team the early second half lead.
"I wasn't worried when we fell behind. I know our team always play very well in the last 20 minutes of the game and that when the chances came we would take them," commented Village coach Dr. Dean Weatherley.
The dangerous Fabian Dawkins would ensure that there would be no cause for concern as he used his speed down the right flank to blow by his defender and fired a cracking shot far to the right past Crooks to pull his team back on level terms with his 14th goal of the season.
Ten minutes later, Omar Allen crashed in at the far post to steer home a Javaugh Russell cross to secure victory for Village, sending Tivoli Gardens to their second straight defeat and giving Village their first road win of the season.
FIRST AWAY WIN
"This is our first away win for the season and we will need to build on it. This was a great New Year's Day present for us," Dr. Weatherley said.
Tivoli coach Glendon Bailey believes that a failure to put away opportunities played a key part in his team's loss.
"We are not capitalising on the amount of chances we are creating. We came out very strong in the second half and got two early goals, but the habit of conceding easy goals has harmed us again," he commented.
He believes that a slow start to the season may now have effectively ended their title chase.
"When you start slowly it is always difficult to catch up. We haven't had our full squad all season and we have never recovered. Right now it is out of reach for us, we will look for a mid-table finish and look to building a solid base for next season," he conceded.
GOALSHEET
TIVOLI
Roland Dean - 49th, Horace Howell - 52nd
VILLAGE
Victor Thompson (own goal) - 41st, Fabian Dawkins - 56th, Omar Allen - 66th.
