Kwesi Mugisa, Staff Reporter
Tivoli Gardens' Dwight Heron (right) battles for possession with Derrick Planter of Rivoli United in Wray and Nephew Premier League action at the Spanish Town Prison Oval yesterday. Heron netted the first goal in a 3-1 Tivoli victory. - ANDREW SMITH/PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR
RIVOLI United's days in top flight football this season officially came to an end courtesy of a 3-1 loss to 10-man Tivoli Gardens in Wray and Nephew National Premier League action at the Spanish Town Prison Oval yesterday.
Though they still have three games remaining, Rivoli find themselves on 18 points, 12 points behind 9th and 10th place Reno and six behind 11th place Constant Spring.
With three games to go they are at best only assured of nine points which makes them the first team to officially book one of the two relegation spots.
Ironically it was former Rivoli hard-man Dwight Heron who would drive the first nail into Rivoli's relegation coffin, with his first goal of the season.
In the 31st minute he rose high to glance a Fabian Davis inswinging corner from the right flank, far to the left of Rivoli custodian Sean Sutherland.
This was only after Tivoli found themselves a man down as in-form striker Jermaine Johnson was given a second yellow card for dissent in the 28th minute. Johnson had found himself having a torrid time shaking the attentions of Omar Parker who proved to be a rugged marker.
A man-down Tivoli would find the net seven minutes later, when Roland Dean slid in unnoticed by the Rivoli back line to put away a through ball which should have been cleared.
It would take a high looping header from six yards out, a poorly cleared attempt and an own goal by Tivoli midfielder Jermaine Taylor to get Rivoli back into the game.
However, Tivoli's top scorer Christopher Nicholas, who came off the bench, would put the issue beyond contention in the 73rd minute. Nicholas would profit from the work of Craig Stewart who beat the Rivoli offside trap and flicked the ball over the head of Sutherland, leaving Nicholas who trailed him with an empty net.
"We had six players carrying injuries today, this has been affecting us all season, so that and the poor condition of the field didn't allow us to play in our usual rhythm," said Tivoli coach Glendon 'Admiral' Bailey. "But at the end of the day we were one player down and came out with a three one victory, so I must commend the effort of the team and that was our objective."
Despite it being the end of the road for his team, Rivoli coach Calvert Fitgerald believes his team gave a creditable performance.
"Tivoli has been playing well so I think the performance was reasonable for a team not in training. The players just turned up today and we selected a starting eleven." he said.
"I think we have a lot of good players but right now the club just does not have the money to keep a team in the premier league," he added.
GOALSHEET
| Tivoli | 3 |
| Dwight Herron 31st |
| Roland Dean 38th |
| Christopher Nicholas 73rd |
| Rivoli | 1 |
| Jermaine Taylor o.g 55th |
