Village hold Waterhouse

Nodley Wright, Gleaner Writer

Waterhouse on Wednesday evening dodged a bullet as they came from two goals down at half-time to draw 2-2 with Village in the Digicel Premier League at the Drewsland Stadium.

Lance Laing, in the 39th minute and Teafore Bennett in the 45th minute, sent the visitors into the half-time break with a comfortable lead, only to see substitute Jermaine Anderson, in the 62nd minute and Vincent Earle in the 68th, give the home team a share of the points.

Perhaps inspired by the heroics of Tottenham Hotspurs and their manager Harry Redknapp who orchestrated a win coming back from 0-2 at the end of first half, coach Baris Johnson shook things up early in the second half. He made a triple change in the 55th minute introducing the trio of strikers Kevin Lamey, Jermaine Anderson and Peter Keyes for Weston Forrest, Andre Clennon and Akeem Thenstead.

The gamble almost paid instant dividends as in the 58th minute Keyes was set up just outside the 18-yard box by Jermaine Fletcher with a beautiful return pass, but the little man went for power and blasted high. Johnson did not have to wait too long for returns as Jermaine Anderson capitlised on a defensive mix up in the 62nd minute to head into an empty net a ball booted high in the air as goalkeeper Keith Hamilton collided with one of his defenders and created a clear path for Anderson.

It was all Waterhouse after that. The veteran Lamey created the equaliser for his team in the 68th minute after collecting his own blocked shot in the 18-yard box and plying it back to Vincent Earle, the League's leading scorer, to add to his tally.

Coach reflecting

At the end of the game, coach Hopeton Gilchrist was left reflecting on what could have been.

"I am very disappointed with this result as we play every game to win, to get three points. I told the players at half time that Waterhouse would be coming at them and that all they should do is to contain them and keep the football. We gave them too much room to work with and they created the space and hence created the two goals," he said ruefully.

Waterhouse's Johnson was restrained in his joy.

"I must congratulate the players. Every game they play, we see the improvement in what we are trying to do. They are getting better in terms of style of play. It is just unfortunate that we have to come back from 0-2 ..." he said.