Sporting Central's Hughan Gray (left) tumbles over after being tackled by Village United's Everett Mullings in yesterday's Digicel Premier League game between the two teams at the Elliston Wakeland Centre, in Falmouth. The game ended in a 1-1 draw.

Western Bureau:

In a game where both teams did very little to improve their standings in the competition, ninth-place Village United and 10th place Sporting Central Academy played to a 1-1 draw in their Digicel Premier League fixture at the Elliston Wakeland Centre, in Falmouth yesterday.

Sporting Central, which had the better of the first half, took a 21st-minute lead through Hughan Gray. Immediately following their goal, the Clarendon team missed two additional chances in rapid succession, which could have widened their lead.

Disappointed with finish

"We played well today but again I am disappointed with our finishing ... this is a game in which we should have taken all three points," said Donavan Duckie, the coach of Sporting Central.

"A point on the road is always a good result but we should have got more today."

Village United, who have been losing their fans on account of their poor form, got their equaliser in the 69th minute, when André Moore rose high above the Sporting Central defence and nodded over the outstretched hands of goalkeeper Jacomena Barrett, making the score 1-1.

"We did not play badly today, we showed a lot of fight, in the end we can't be too hard on ourselves about this draw," said Village United's coach Cassman Williams. "We have a lot of injuries in the team so we have not been at full strength for quite a while."

In the opening minutes of the game, the Sporting Central team had the better of the exchanges and it was not surprising when they took the lead. Gregory Lewis dribbled into the box and flicked the ball neatly to Gray, who slotted home easily.

Three minutes after their goal, Sporting Central should have scored when Francois Swaby fired wide from close range. Two minutes later, Dwayne Campbell also got a clear shot, but his effort on goal was denied by a neat save from the goalkeeper.

On the stroke of half-time, Village United should have pulled level when Andre Williams pounced on a cross right in front of the goal but headed straight to the goalkeeper.

The second half started with Sporting Central looking the more organised of the two teams but most of the attacks came to nothing. Village got their first real break in the 69th minute and made no mistake. Moore went high for a cross from the left flank and his neat header eluded the goalkeeper.

Wasted chance

Following Village's goal, Sporting Central again took control of the game but found the rejuvenated Village defence a little more composed. Javaughn Watson got a glorious chance in the 78th minute but he was brilliantly dispossessed by the goalkeeper.

On the stroke of fulltime, Sporting Central wasted yet another chance when Damarley Samuels capitalised on a defensive error but drove his shot wide of the goal.