Arnett Gardens heap more pressure on Portmore

Nodley Wright, Gleaner Writer

Portmore United's woes continued yesterday with their failure to record a win in their sixth consecutive Digicel Premier League (DPL) game as they lost 1-0 to Arnett Gardens courtesy of a 27th minute strike by schoolboy Jovani Simms.

Yesterday's loss followed one in the boardroom last week for their use of an ineligible player in an earlier game against Humble Lion. As has been their downfall for most of the season, they created a number of chances, squandered them, and were made to pay. The result saw them losing further ground to leaders Tivoli Gardens and second placed Boys' Town who drew and won respectively.

Disappointing

"It is a disappointing result. We were in the game for the most part and we created so many chances that we should have scored early in the game.

"We are not taking our chances and the other team got one chance and they capitalised on it so it is 1-0 at the end of the day. It is really disappointing that we did not get a point from the game," a frustrated Portmore United coach Linval Dixon said at the end of the game.

Dixon would have been singing a different tune had Steven Morrissey and Alanzo Adlam not missed sitters early in the game before Arnett Gardens even had a sniff at goal.

Satisfied man

Once Simms gave Arnett Gardens the lead, the visitors defended with all they had and coach Paul 'Tegat' Davis was a satisfied man at the end.

"We expected to get some pressure and once we got a goal the defenders held up well and it is nice to win again. Coming off two losses it is a big relief," Davis said.

The football itself was not of the highest quality and the biggest talking point at the end of it was the officiating of referee Kevin Morrison who spoilt what was a fairly decent game for him with the caution of Arnett goalkeeper Damion Hyatt and ejection of forward Newton Sterling. Hyatt was complaining about being pelted with missiles and Morrison promptly cautioned him despite his protests. That infuriated Hyatt's teammates who voiced their disapproval and Sterling was subsequently ejected.