Kwesi Mugisa, Staff Reporter
Boys' Town's Oneil McDonald (right) shrugs off a challenge from Tivoli Gardens' Steve Green (partly hidden) during their Cash Plus Premier League match at Collie Smith Drive yesterday. The game ended 0-0. - Ian Allen/Staff Photographer
Wayward shooting continued to haunt both Boys' Town and Tivoli Gardens as the teams played to a wasteful 0-0 draw in Cash Plus Premier League action at the Collie Smith Sports ground yesterday.
Boys' Town began the fixture the more purposeful of the teams and should have taken the lead on at least two or three separate occasions in the first 15 minutes.
Bearing down on goal, the Red Brigades' leading goalscorer, Oneil McDonald, failed to find the back of the net as his 10th minute lob went over onrushing Tivoli custodian Edsel Scott and the crossbar.
Strike partner Michael Campbell was then the cause of a shocked Boys' Town faithful putting hands to their head with grief. One-on-one with Scott, the striker attempted to drag the ball to the left of the custodian but pulled the effort too far, allowing the Tivoli defenders to get back and clear their lines.
On the opposite side of the pitch striker Roland Dean was the one finding himself with chances to put the league leaders ahead. Clean through on goal in the 25th minute, Dean saw his shot acrobatically palmed away by Boys' Town goalie Kirk Porter. Minutes later Dean turned to shoot one-time on a well-weighted through ball from Horace Howell, but also saw that effort guided over the crossbar by Porter.
The second half would only bring more of the same uninspired finishing. Finding himself alone in the area, Campbell headed a razor-sharp cross from Fabian Watkins into the turf and crumpled in disbelief as the attempt bounced over the crossbar.
More bad luck
At the other end Steve Green's header sailed inches over the crossbar in the 50th minute. It was just more bad luck for Dean in the 70th minute, when latching on to a poorly cleared effort from the edge of the area, he saw the attempt come back off the crossbar.
"I must sound like a broken record but you can't come playing well every week and then fail to put away your chances," lamented Boys' Town coach Andrew Price.
"We have the most drawn games in the league, we cannot continue to do that, we need to put away teams," he said.
Coming into the fixture with his eyes on a spot in the end-of-round final, Tivoli assistant coach Desmond Francis said he was content with a point on the road.
"We had our opportunities but a point on the road is still a good result for us," he said. "We came here for all three but we only got one so that is all right."
With the draw Tivoli stayed at the top of the table with 37 points, while Boys' Town moved to 23.
