'We are gelling as a team' - Stewart

Anthony Minott, Gleaner Writer

The assistant Coach of Sporting Central Academy, Nigel Stewart, believes teamwork was a major factor in their 2-0 victory over Arnett Gardens, in the Digicel Premier League (DPL) football match at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex on Sunday.

"I think the team chemistry is good, the team is now gelling together and we have the results to show," said Stewart.

"We were not worried after Arnett (Gardens) pressured us in the first half, because we are accustomed to pressure," he added. "The team plays well under pressure, it was a good game for us. We came away from home and collected three points."

Forde scores

Aneke Forde (36th) and Kadian Wynter (63rd) scored for Sporting Central.

The win pushed the Clarendon team to seven points from five games, the same as Arnett.

Sporting were the only team to record a win, as all the other four matches ended in draws.

Arnett Gardens' coach Wayne Fairclough rued his team's missed opportunities.

"I'm really disappointed with the result," he said. "We had territorial dominance of the Sporting Central team for the first 30 minutes of the game, but we missed too many chances and we need towork on that."

He added: "After the first goal was scored, the players lowered their shoulders and we didn't play as well as before ... that's another aspect of our game we need to address."

Coincidentally, Wynter, the scorer of the second goal, went from hero to villain after being issued a red card by referee Dwight Royal. Wynter was fouled and went down injured, but when he was offered the stretcher on which to leave the pitch, he decided to walk off the field and was met at the touchline by the referee, who gave him marching orders.

Wynter booed

While off the field, Wynter was greeted with unkind words and boos from the crowd.

Arnett Gardens actually dominated the first half-hour of the game, but were let down by faulty shooting and good goalkeeping by Sporting's Triston Huntley. The fleet-footed Ricardo Stern got the best chance of the first half as, after dismissing a defender, he kicked centimetres wide of the right upright, after goalie Huntley had advanced.

Sporting actually scored first against the run of play and on a counterattacking move. Gary McIntosh whipped in a cross from the right side which was met by goal-poucher Forde, who struck home from point-blank range.

The second half saw Sporting coming into their own and the Clarendon-based outfit scored again, through Wynter.