Adrian Frater, News Editor

Whitmore

Western Bureau:

Seba United ended their four-game losing streak in the 2006-07 Wray and Nephew National Premier League (NPL) in dramatic style on Sunday night when a brilliant late strike by former national midfield star Theodore Whitmore gave them a hard-fought 2-1 over Tivoli Gardens at Jarrett Park.

Having not won since their opening-day victory over Portmore United, Seba got off to a good start when the overlapping Scion McNish fired them into a first half 1-0 lead with a brilliant solo effort.

However, Tivoli looked like adding more misery to Seba's campaign when Horace Howell pulled them level 26 minutes into the second half.

"It was another tough game for us today but the good thing is that we got two goals," said Seba United's assistant coach Heron Grey. "We are happy for the three points but we are still not pleased with our finishing as we are wasting too many easy chances."

For Tivoli Gardens coach, Calvert Fitzgerald, the red cards, such as the one issued to striker Roland Dean in Sunday night's encounter, has been one of the factors hurting his team as according to him, playing short is a recipe for disaster in such a competitive league.

Holding your own

"When you find yourself down to 10 players against a good team, it is usually very hard to hold your own," said coach Fitzgerald. "In addition, we continue to miss empty goals, hit the crossbar and doing everything else besides scoring. It is getting quite frustrating."

In a first half in which Seba United played its most enterprising football since the start of this season, they again found themselves wanting in attack as front-line players Wilfred Smith, Kemar James and Ricardo Geddes for the most part failed to capitalise on the sterling midfield work by Whitmore.

However, with time running out in the half, it took the overlapping McNish, whose solo effort took him through the heart of the Tivoli defence, to give Seba a 1-0 half-time lead with his 41st minute strike.

Tivoli lost some sting in the second half when Dean was red-carded for striking an opponent.

Tivoli drew level at the 71st minute when Howell crashed home from a goal-mouth scramble, making the score 1-1.

With time running out and Seba's coach Geoffrey Maxwell in a fit of rage on the touchline as he watched his team making numerous mistakes, Whitmore produced a moment of magic ion the 86th minute when he sliced through the defence and lifted a neat pass to substitute Delroy Ellis. His looping return pass found Whitmore with a clear header on goal and he made no mistake, scoring for a final 2-1.

Seba 2

Scion McNish 41st minute

Theodore Whitmore 86th minute

Tivoli 1

Horace Howell 71st