Tivoli sever losing streak to Boys' Town

Ryon Jones, Gleaner Writer

Tivoli Gardens eked out their first win of the season against their west Kingston rivals Boys' Town, clipping them 1-0 in front of a packed Collie Smith Drive venue yesterday to consolidate their position atop the 12-team Digicel Premier League.

Boys' Town came into the fixture looking for their third triumph over their opponents this season, which would have seen them move into first position.

However, this was not to be as a 12th-minute strike from defender Kemar Flemmings was enough to earn Tivoli all three points, which moved them to 47 points.

Boys' Town remain on 42 points, but slipped to third in the standings after a 15th-minute goal by Rosario Harriott gave Portmore United a 1-0 win over Benfica at Drax Hall and took them past the Trench Town team and up to 44 points.

The quality of football displayed at Collie Smith Drive by the highly placed teams did not do justice to the electric atmosphere that greeted the players as they walked out on to the field.

The game did, however, promise much as the first meaningful attack resulted in a goal when a Christopher Jackson free kick was charged down by the Boys' Town defensive wall.

However, the rebound fell to an unmarked Flemmings and his low shot from just outside the area left Boys' Town's keeper Philmore Crumbie rooted to the spot.

The Red Brigade coach, Andrew Price, was very annoyed with the manner in which the goal was conceded.

"You can't fall asleep on a free kick like that ... the defenders have to come forward and follow the ball and they didn't, and it was the one time we let down our guard," Price explained. "It was the one opportunity that Tivoli got for the entire game."

This was not the case, however, as Tivoli did create a glorious opportunity to score a second in the 32nd minute, following Crumbie's failure to cleanly collect an innocuous looking shot from Dane Kelly. Roland Dean was the first to react to the spill, but his effort from an acute angle was palmed wide by Crumbie.

Agonisingly close

Boys' Town's Renae Lloyd came agonisingly close to scoring his seventh goal of the season and perhaps his most spectacular in the 16th minute, when he cracked a shot on to the crossbar after having made a wonderful run into the Tivoli area, followed by a quick give-and-go with Anthony Bennett.

Tivoli's coach, Glendon 'Admiral' Bailey, believes his team played a good tactical game as they were able to thwart Boys' Town's customary raids down the flanks.

"We really planned for this game ... we didn't have a good technical game, but tactically we played well," Bailey said.

Despite falling five points behind their rivals, Price sounded this warning: "Tivoli, we are going to be behind you for the remainder of the season and we will be clawing away, it is not over."