Tivoli bounce back

Ryon Jones, Gleaner Writer

Tivoli Gardens got their Digicel Premier League campaign back on track yesterday afternoon with an emphatic 4-0 win over Village United at the Edward Seaga Complex.

Four different scorers were on target for Tivoli including Devon Hodges, who was notching his first goal for his new club. The other scorers were, Kevin Blackford, Navion Boyd and Victor Thompson.

The game got off to a slow start with both teams trying to gain the ascendancy. It however exploded to life in the 21st minute when Hodges picked up a ball with his back to goal. He turned and unleashed a 27-yard drive, which thumped against the left upright. Village United's response was immediate as they launched a counter-attack, which saw Shavar Campbell's 25-yard screamer rocket back off the crossbar.

The deadlock was broken in the in the 23rd minute when Boyd got the better of Village's Ladale Ritchie before playing a ball across the face of goal. A defensive mix-up by Village saw Andre Moore leave the ball with the expectation that his keeper was advancing to collect but instead Hodges snuck up to turn home from close range.

Second goal

It was obviously a ploy by Tivoli to attack down the right flank as their second goal also developed from this area in the 45th minute. Kemar Flemmings supplied the square, which Blackford ran on to undetected on the back post for an easy tap-in.

"We noticed the wingbacks for Village were both pushing a lot forward so we just utilised that space on the flanks, so it was a strategic move," said Tivoli's head coach, Alvin Shaw.

Tivoli came out in the second half looking for more goals and were rewarded in the 52nd minute when Cooper parried a long-range effort from Shawn McKoy into the path of Boyd, who hammered home from close range.

Tivoli rounded off the scoring in the 72nd minute when a nice passing move ended with Steve Green supplying a square to an unmarked Victor Thompson whose sweetly timed volley from 15 yards out flew into the back of the net.

Gracious in defeat

Village's technical director, Marvin Tate was gracious in defeat but attributed at least two of the goals to poor positioning by his wing backs.

Tate said: "Tivoli really played a clinical game; they scored three wonderful goals from good build-ups. All we needed to do was occupy the space on the flanks and we didn't. We were playing inside and as a result of that, Tivoli got all the space to use up the flanks and to get the crosses in, and as a result of that it pulled apart our defensive unit."

In the round's other games, previously unbeaten Boys' Town were clipped 1-0 by neighbours Arnett Gardens. Cornel Chin-Sue's 38th- minute strike was enough to give the 'Junglists' their second consecutive win. Boys' Town ended the game with ten players as Renae Lloyd was ejected on the stroke of full time.

Waterhouse got back to winning ways, as a 45th-minute goal from Jermaine Anderson was adequate to see them pass Reno.

• Waterhouse 1 - Reno 0
• Portmore 2 - Harbour View 1
• Humble Lion 1 - Sporting Central 1
• St Georges 0 - Benfica 1
• Arnett Gardens 1 - Boys' Town 0