Wadadah's Raphael Palmer (left) and August Town's Kevin Blair battling in midfield during yesterday's Wray and Nephew National Premier League in Montego Bay. Wadadah won 3-2. - photo by Adrian Frater

Adrian Frater, News Editor

Western Bureau:

Relegated Wadadah showed some of the guts that has been missing from their football all season when they fired in two goals in the last four minutes to defeat August Town 3-2 in their Wray & Nephew NPL fixture at the Catherine Hall Stadium, in Montego Bay.

"At least we are going out with a win," said Wadadah's veteran striker Markino Gillings. "It has been a terrible season for us, but we can at least leave the tournament with this last pleasant memory."

Wadadah, which completed the 12-team competition in eleventh place on 24 points, got their goals from Rohan Reid, Gillings and Damion Chambers. August Town, which finished in sixth position on 42 points, got their goals from Devon Haughton and Andrew Davis.

"We should have won the game, but we did not play with the required urgency that was needed," said August Town's coach Dominque Spaulding. "In addition, we gave away two soft goals but it's nothing to cry over."

Non-stop pressure

The game started with August Town looking quite business-like, heaping non-stop pressure on the Wadadah defence. They won a free-kick some 25 yards from goal in the 27th minute and a scorching grounder by Haughton crashed into the back of the net, making the score 1-0.

Wadadah struck back on a rare attack in the 33rd minute when a close range shot by Chambers went in off the upright for a 1-1 half-time score.

Seven minutes into the second half, August Town regained the lead when Tafari O'Conner picked out Davis with a superb cross and he nodded in past goalkeeper Tristan Bernard.

With the momentum in their favour and Wadadah only coming forward on counter-attack, August Town created several good scoring opportunities but Akeem Barrett and Carlos Barrett prevented them from adding to their tally.

However, with time ticking away and the Wadadah supporters urging the players to at least try for a draw, they pulled level in the 87th minute when skipper Daniel Rickettes crossed perfectly to Reid and he nodded into the goal, making the score 2-2.

With August Town re-grouping in the back to ward off a late rally by the Wadadah front-line, the alert Gillings caught them napping in the 89th minute and fired in from six yards to secure victory.

Wadadah 3

(Damion Chambers 33rd, Rohan Reid 87th, Markino Gillings 89th)

August Town 2

(Devon Haughton 27th, Andrew Davis 52nd)