Kwesi Mugisa, Staff Reporter
A TEN-MAN Reno outfit frustrated Arnett Gardens' plans for a blistering start to the Cash Plus Premier League's third round with a 1-1 draw at the Anthony Spaulding Complex yesterday.
In fact, with both teams nervously teetering on the edge of the relegation zone, for a time it had almost looked as if the West-moreland team would come away with all three points.
Reno's top marksman, Ricardo Scott, broke away from a napping Arnett Gardens' back line and held his nerve to finish coolly in the 39th-minute to give the lead to the visitors.
Following a bright start, striker Onandi Lowe could have put Arnett Gardens in the lead but after bearing down on goal in the 35th- minute, he took an awkward touch which put the ball over the crossbar. Then, after beating goalkeeper Dennis Taylor to the ball, Lowe had another attempt cleared off the line by Omar Dallas early in the second half.
Substitute Horace Sharpe would, however, finally bring the 'Junglists' back on level terms in the 69th-minute when another attempt nodded on by Lowe was headed firmly into the back of the net by the midfielder.
Marching orders
With 10 minutes left to go in the encounter, Reno keeper Taylor was given his marching orders by referee Howard Stennet for dissent, and that opened the door for a wave of Arnett attacks.
Substitute goalkeeper Chad Blair was lucky to stop a cross deflected awkwardly before it reached the back of the net. However, Arnett breathed a sigh of relief at the other end when substitute Kirk Wright broke away from the back line in the 90th-minute but blasted wide of a helpless Julian McLeish.
"This was not the start we were hoping for. It's not the best result and we will be looking to recover from the slow start," said Arnett coach Jerome Waite after the game.
"We started well but I think the team went to sleep. However, we showed a lot of spirit in getting the equaliser," he said.
Reno coach Wendell Downswell was satisfied with the point on the road.
"We were playing away today against a much-improved Arnett Gardens so it really wasn't a terrible result for us here today," Downswell said.
"We have a lot of young players. They have been doing well. I would say the future looks bright but right now our focus is to move out of the cellar," he said.
The result saw both teams move to 25 points, but ninth-placed Reno remain ahead of Arnett on goal difference.
Horace Sharpe 69th
Ricardo Scott 39th
