Powell fires Tivoli into lead

Richard Bryan, Gleaner Writer

Owen Powell emerged the unlikely trump card at Brancourt on Sunday, as he scored in the 87th minute to break Sporting Central Academy hearts, handing Tivoli Gardens a 2-1 victory that preserved their lead atop the Digicel Premier League (DPL).

Powell's appearance seemed the last throw of an uncertain dice when, with 15 minutes to go, coach Glendon 'Admiral' Bailey pulled his more vaunted striker, Devon Hodges, who was ineffective, except for an opening burst.

Powell's massive figure had not posed a problem to the Sporting defenders either, and there did not seem any urgency to mark him, even as the closing minutes ticked away. However, when he quickly latched on to a loose ball created by a partial clearance, and fitted his imposing figure behind what would be a lethal connection past young goalie Andre Blake, there were immediate sounds of appreciation.

Tivoli's second straight win in the second round have pushed them to 29 points, three clear of first-round leaders, Waterhouse, who earned a point in a 1-1 draw with Village United.

Sporting Central remained in the second half of the 12-team league on 16 points. However, as the home side, they would have bargained for more, after starting the game with the confidence of having taken all three points while playing away at Drewsland, against Waterhouse, the previous week.

In the overall context of the game, Powell's late strike was a lucky break for the league leaders. Coach Bailey could be overheard clearly trying to assure his obviously unnerved club president, Edward Seaga, that his team tactics paid off in the end.

"Boss, it's not going to be pretty all the time, that's how the ball (game) is sometimes," he remarked.

Later in the official post-match interview with journalists, he explained: "It's not every day you are going to look fancy. As long as I see the effort and the work, I am pleased. Sporting is a very young and fit team, and they are always going to look good, so giving them up a third of the field was not going to hurt us if they are just passing the ball."

The truth is even Bailey must have been scared on occasions when it took some spectacular rearguard blocks and diving saves by goalkeeper Edsel Scott to deny Sporting efforts.

A clearly frustrated Chris Dawes, who manned Sporting's tactics from the touchlines, took off Swaby and Levaughn Williams, who had scored the winner against Waterhouse, during the second half.

Chances to find the lead were repeatedly missed, until tragedy struck, when main playmaker Jevaughn Watson was forced off after suffering a suspected dislocated shoulder with five minutes remaining. His role up to that point had blunted the influence of Tivoli's playmaker, Keammar Daley. Sporting lost focus quickly and Tivoli, who had looked, by far, second best, were able to snatch an unlikely win from Powell.