Adrian Frater, News Editor

Western Bureau:

After watching his team take the lead, lose it and then regain it in Sunday night's 3-2 win over Rivoli United in their Digicel Premier League fixture at Jarrett Park in Montego Bay, Village United's coach, Dr Dean Weatherley, was both happy and relieved.

"I am still not seeing the kind of consistency that I would want to see out of the players, but I think we are getting there," said Dr Weatherley. "The team showed a lot of character to bounce back and win after Rivoli erased our 1-0 lead and then went up 2-1."

Coach livid

However, while Dr Weatherley was praising his team's gallant effort, Rivoli's coach Anthony Thompson was livid, blasting his team's lack of application for their defeat, which he strongly believes should have been a victory had there been more commitment from his players.

"We will have to make some drastic changes because some of the players are not pulling their weight and are letting down the team," said Thompson. "We should have won the game tonight but we made too many stupid errors and we just can't continue like this."

Village United, fresh from their first win of the season against Waterhouse the previous week, started out quite confidently and took the lead in the fourth minute. A savage close range shot by the Ghanian, Jonathon Yahmoa, struck a defender and crashed into the roof of the net, making the score 1-0.

With Village threatening to run them into the ground, Rivoili drew level against the run of play in the 24th minute when Fidel Anderson was fouled in the goal area on a counter-attack. Devon Hodges made no mistake from the penalty spot, making the half-time score 1-1.

Rivoli took the lead

Down into second-half play, Rivoli took the lead in the 64th minute when a low cross by Hodges eluded the goalkeeper and fell kindly for Alwin Morgan, who side-footed the ball into the goal, giving Rivoli a 2-1 lead.

However, with Village again taking control and peppering their opponent's defence in an all-out attack, they too were awarded a penalty in the 73rd minute when a Rivoli defender handled the ball, while under pressure. Troy Smith sent the goalkeeper grasping at thin air, making the score 2-2.

With Village having the ascendancy and Rivoli only counter-attacking in spurts, Village clinched victory in the 77th minute. A fierce shot by Marrian Grant rebounded from the goalkeeper and fell into the path of Omar Allen. He calmly fired back into the goal, making the final score 3-2.

"I am finally getting the players to play the way I want to and it is showing in the recent results," said Dr Weatherley. "Once we are able to play this way with more consistency, I am sure things are going to get even much better."

The win kept Village entrenched in mid-table on eight (8) points, while Rivoli's defeat, their fourth in six games, has left them deep in the standings, third from bottom on a mere four (4) points.