Road wins key to St Georges' title aspirations
Published: Tuesday | September 8, 2009
St Georges' Nigel Reid (left) shields a ball from Arnett Garden defender Nico Collins, as Arnett's Gerald Neil, (No.5), who was sent off in the 40th minute, looks on during a Digicel Premier League match at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex in Arnett Gardens on Sunday. St Georges won 1-0. - Anthony Minott/Freelance Photographer
St Georges coach, Braxton Hyre, believes that road wins are key to winning the Digicel Premier League (DPL) this year.
"We wanted to win on the road because for us to have a chance at a title we have to win games on the road, as well as win at home," Hyre said, following his team scored in the last minute to beat Arnett Gardens 1-0 at the Anthony Spauldings Sports Complex on Sunday.
Winning goal
Romeo Parkes scored the winning goal in time added on, to give Arnett Gardens' fans a heartbreak. Parkes received a pass from substitute Richardo Watson and booted the ball past Arnett's goalie, Damion Hyatt.
The Junglists' suffered a severe blow in the 40th minute when one of their best defenders, Gerald Neil, was shown a red card by referee Kevin Thomas, for a dangerous tackle on St Georges defender, Omar Davis.
"After Arnett went a man down it wasn't easy playing them because they got all their players behind the ball and it is not easy to penetrate a team with all their players behind the ball," Hyre explained. "But our team didn't stop and at the end we were able to score."
St Georges home turf, Lynch Park in Portland, is a good hunting ground for the Eastern Confederation club, but outside their home the team has struggled to win matches, which in its previous stints over the past two seasons, has generally disqualified them from being bonafide contenders for the crown.
St Georges got the best chance to score in the first half, but Hillelide Dean surprisingly hit wide from 12-yards, on the stroke of half-time.
Despite their numerical disadvantage, Arnett Gardens came into their own midway the second half and created problems for the St Georges' defence.
Arnett thought that they had the winner when substitute Oneil Robinson hit a terrific shot from the left in the 76th minute. However, the ball crashed onto the post.
Promising moves
The homesters had a number other promising moves, one in which Robinson's shot on the volley was parried over the crossbar by the St George's custodian.
Arnett's player/coach, Fabian Davis, said a lapse in defence cost his team the match.
"We lapsed in concentration at the end and when you do those things like that in the premier league we will pay for it."
He also said the decision to send off Neil was 'ridiculous'.
"I think that red card hurt us in the first half. It was a ridiculous red card, my player got tackled by a Georges player and got a red card."
Standings
(Tabulate under Teams, Play, Win, Draw, Lose, Goals For, Goals Against, Goan Difference, Total Points)
| Teams | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | TP |
| Tivoli | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Rivoli | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Portmore | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| St Georges | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| H View | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Sporting | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Boys' Town | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Village | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| H Lions | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | -1 | 0 |
| W'house | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 0 |
| Arnett | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0 |
| Aug Twn | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0
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