Sporting, Humble Lion win

Richard Bryan, Gleaner Writer

Clarendon-based clubs Sporting Central and Humble Lions both scored important wins at home yesterday, to significantly aid their ambitions to survive relegation from the Digicel Premier League.

Sporting scored a whopping four unanswered strikes to win 4-0 against Arnett Gardens at Brancourt and hit the top of the bottom-six table on 43 points, while Humble Lion pipped Reno 1-0 at Effortville, to move to 37 points - just off the cellar position.

Humble Lion's position at the bottom of the standings suggested they needed at least a win to keep their slim chance of avoiding the drop and striker Denzil Watson provided the crucial goal, converting a penalty in the 65th minute.

Sporting's performance bettered their previous best this season - a 3-0 thumping against the same Arnett Gardens side, achieved in the second round at the same venue.

violent play

Despite the goals, the game was plagued by bouts of violent play, tackling and retaliation and occasions where referee Dwight Royal's authority on the field was challenged openly by players. Sadly, it degenerated into ugly scenes at the end where a fight resulted in the ejection of Sporting's captain Marlon Allen and Arnett's Omar Campbell.

Five minutes earlier, Arnett also had another player ejected - Omar Gordon for persistent foul play.

Arnett were no match for Sporting's slick passing and the attacking menace they posed down the wings, especially the porous left side where Ricardo Smith and Gerald Reid failed to cover. The two first goals in the 35th and 37th minute came from identical moves down that flank.

Man of the match, midfielder Keith Kelly, found Onike Ford, who dribbled virtually unchecked. On the first occasion, he denied himself the chance to shoot, slipping the ball across the area where an onrushing Damarley Samuels evaded a possible off-side call to side-foot past Damion Hyatt in goal.

tactical onslaught

Two minutes later, Ford found himself with a much easier angle after a similar run and drove a grounder past Hyatt.

Overlapping defender Gregory Lewis continued Sporting's tactical onslaught down the flanks, dribbling inside before unleashing a speculative shot from 23 yards that seemingly had goalkeeper Hyatt in two minds - whether to hold or parry. In the end, he achieved neither as the ball fell from his grasp and behind for the third goal, in the 58th minute.

Hyatt did prove some worth later, diving full length to deny Hughan Gray's free kick from 25 yards and then Samuels from close range.

However, his defence's generally indisciplined display again let him down, costing Arnett another goal as substitute Gary McIntosh was able to tap home from inside the six-yard box after receiving the easiest of assists from Levaughn Williams.