Howard Walker, Staff Reporter

Tivoli Gardens midfielder Steve Green (left) tackles Portmore United midfielder Kevin Deerr during their Wray and Nephew National Premier League match at the Spanish Town Prison Oval yesterday. The match ended 2-2. - Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer

Former champions Portmore United and Tivoli Gardens played to a contentious 2-2 draw in their Wray and Nephew National Premier League (NPL) game at the Spanish Town Prison Oval yesterday.

Portmore United took the lead before giving up two quick goals, but found the equaliser in the dying moments to salvage a point in a game that ended on a sour note.

Tivoli Gardens' goalkeeper Edsel Scott verbally attacked the assistant referee for what he deemed was an offside goal and was yellow carded by referee Courtney Campbell for his troubles.

Red-carded

In fact, he was lucky not to have been red-carded as he made several attempts to physically attack the assistant referee but had to be restrained by security personnel.

Portmore, temporarily playing their home games at the Prison Oval, took control early and duly opened the scoring through Jason "Diego" Morrison in the 39th minute in a dominant first half. He side-footed home from close range during a melee in the box.

Tivoli Gardens quickly turned things around in a seven-minute spell that produced two goals.

Jermaine Taylor (59th) and Horace Howell (66th) looked to have secured maximum points for the visitors.

The hard-working Taylor saw his 25 metres shot take a deflection and fly over the head of the out-of-position Shawn Sawyers in goal.

Then seven minutes later, Oraine Simpson produced a teasing run down the right flank, getting by Adrian Reid before crossing for Howell to fire home.

But just as it looked like Tivoli Gardens would secure their second consecutive win, Kevin Deerr popped up in the 90th minute to side-foot home from close range.

Portmore United inched up to 11 points, while Tivoli Gardens on nine points fell back into the bottom four.

Calvin Fitzgerald, coach of Tivoli Gardens, could not hold back his disappointment with the referee's decision to allow Portmore's equaliser.

Said Fitgerald: "From the season start I have been getting some poor calls from the referees. We can't train for offside goals. I can't coach for things that are not in the rule book."

Score

He continued: "In Montego Bay, Whitmore (Theodore) was about three yards offside and they allowed him to score.

Today, the player that got the ball and squared it was about three yards offside."

Meanwhile, a disappointed-looking Paul Young, who saw his team totally dominate the first half but fail to put away the opponents, said indiscipline robbed his team three points.

Said Young: "The second half we came out a little bit flat. We lost our discipline and our composure and let them back in the game."

Portmore United - 2

Jason Morrison 39th, Kevin Deerr 90th

Tivoli Gardens - 2