Junglists hammer August Town to retain place

Ryon Jones, Gleaner Writer

Arnett Gardens confirmed their place in next season's Digicel Premier League with a 4-0 win over August Town at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Bowl, Mona, yesterday.

The Junglists got a glorious opportunity to open the scoring in the 13th minute when Newton Sterling expertly headed down a ball for Garfield Gillespie. Despite being unchallenged, Gillespie dragged his shot wide from 10 yards.

Sterling decided to do it himself three minutes later when he rose well to meet a cross, which he redirected into the goal off the left upright, to give his team a 1-0 lead.

August Town, whose relegation was confirmed the previous week, showed some fight as they mounted an attack a minute later, which resulted in Diego Haughton riffling a shot that struck the right upright.

Good run

They came even closer to scoring in the 20th minute when Marvin Stewart made a good run down the left flank before unleashing a screamer, which had Arnett's custodian, Julian McLeish, beaten, only to cannon back off the crossbar.

Arnett Gardens seemed to have been reminded that they were in a game and came back out firing in the second half.

They were rewarded in the 57th minute when Dennis McKinley picked up the ball from 20 yards out and beat goalkeeper Devon Haughton with a well-placed shot to double the score.

They were on the scoresheet again two minutes later when Sterling got his second goal of the game. He ran on to lovely cross-field ball from Cornel Chin-Sue, which he controlled before slotting past the keeper.

Arnett were reduced to 10 players in the 79th minute when William Richards' defensive error allowed Diego Haughton to steal a ball from him and run at goal. In an effort to recover the ball, Richards committed an infringement. Devon Haughton powerfully struck the resulting free kick, but McLeish saved acrobatically.

Rounding off

Lennox Creary, who came on at the 68th minute, rounded off the scoring in the 87th minute when he cut in from the left flank before firing past Devon Haughton.

Arnett Gardens' coach, Wayne Fairclough, was relieved to have secured the win.

"The team was really pressured coming into the game today in that we knew that we had to defeat this August Town team," he said. "We only needed a draw but then again winning would be more comfortable."

August Town's assistant coach, Dwight Morgan, believes that indiscipline led to their relegation.

"The indiscipline of the players, they don't follow instructions well and train properly and if you don't follow instructions well and train properly, you're not going to be able to play in the Premier League," said Morgan.