Kwesi Mugisa, Staff Reporter

Arnett Gardens' Cornel Chin-Sue gives an earful to referee Raymond Bogle while disputing the goal in the Digicel Premier League match against Boys' Town at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex yesterday. Boys' Town won 1-0. - Ian Allen/Staff Photographer

A controversial 45-yard blast by Daemion Benjamin saw Boys' Town claim a 1-0 victory over rivals Arnett Gardens, in the latest instalment of the Trench Town derby, in the Digicel Premier League (DPL) at the Anthony Spaulding Complex yesterday.

The goal however, certainly proved to be a bitter pill for the 'Junglists' to swallow.

Irate fans and Arnett players hotly disputed the decision of referee Raymond Bogle to allow the quickly-taken free kick from Benjamin to stand, albeit from just a little inside the Arnett half.

The goal

With play stopped for a foul in the 37th minute, Benjamin took advantage of the fact that several Arnett players were still in conversation with the official, who was partially turned away from the play and sprinted in, to hammer a fierce effort, which flew goalwards and eventually dipped over a fully stretched Arnett custodian, Julian McLeish. The general consensus seemed to be that the effort should have been called back.

The Red Brigade had, however, began the game the more lively of the two teams and could have taken the lead earlier, if not for the heroics of McLeish, who reacted quickly to palm away a well-placed header to goal by Renae Lloyd from a George Vernal cross.

Although not getting a whole lot from open play as the Arnett midfield never really seemed to produce any sharp, incisive play, the 'Junglists' got their opportunities to level the score in a fervently contested second half.

However, smart goalkeeping from a confident looking Boys' Town goalkeeper, Kirk Porter, kept them at bay. Porter got down quickly to scramble away a powerfully struck Kevin Wilson free kick in the 60th minute.

The 'keeper pulled off an even a more miraculous save, when he changed direction to keep out a Fabian Davis effort, which took a huge deflection before heading goalwards, after an indirect free kick had been awarded in the penalty area.

Free kick

"I don't like to speak about decisions made by the referees but that free kick seemed a bit controversial. But in the end I think the better team on the day won the game," said: Arnett Gardens FC chairman and Member of Parliament for the area, Dr. Omar Davis.

Striker Leon Strickland is expected to return to the club.

Boys' Town coach, Andrew Price, said: "We didn't get to play the kind of game that we would have wanted to in terms of moving the ball around, but we are very satisfied with the result," he said.

"I think we had the ascendancy for most of the game and it's an excellent way for us to begin the second round," he said.