St Georges relegated

Gareth Davis Sr, Gleaner Writer

BUFF BAY, Portland:

Inspired by their Under-21 team's title success on Friday, Sporting Central Academy secured the valuable point needed to remain in top flight football; and sent home-team St Georges Sports Club packing, following their 0-0 draw in their Digicel Premier League final-round football match at Lynch Park yesterday.

The result means that Georges will return to the Portland parish league, while Sporting Central, along with Humble Lion, who carved out a 7-0 thrashing of Benfica, avoid the drop.

Humble Lion and St Georges ended with 46 points each, but based on head-to-head contests, the Lions, who had the better of their Clarendon counterparts throughout, maintain their spot.

"We decided to follow in the trend of the Under-21 success," said coach Nigel Stewart of Sporting Central, which escaped relegation problems with the draw, that lifted them to 47 points.

Stewart added: "Clearly, we should have conceded at least two goals in the first half, but luck was on our side. It goes to show that goals win matches, and as a result of Georges' failure, we gained a share of the points."

St Georges, who were playing in front of a capacity crowd, got an early opportunity in the 13th minute when Romeo Parkes took a corner and Girvon Brown missed the chance. The spot kick was floated neatly across the six-yard box and

beat the goalkeeper, but Brown, who only had to connect with his head, missed the ball.

Two minutes afterwards, Parkes again floated a corner in similar fashion, but Brown again missed with the header.

With the pressure mounting, Parkes picked up a ball near the centre circle and dribbled past two players, before picking out Richardo Watson inside the 18-yard box. It was the perfect pass but Watson fired with his left foot while on the run and his shot cleared the crossbar.

The second half saw both teams failing to score despite some touches of brilliance from Parkes, Donovan Davis and Delroy James of Georges, and Kadian Wynter, Gary McIntosh and Damarly Samuels of Sporting Central.

Coach Geoffrey Maxwell said: "A little of inexperience crept in. Georges should have won the game from the first half, but it wasn't meant to be.

"I give credit to them (his players) for the spirited effort, as after playing the first 10 games in round one, they had only four points. My job was to ensure that they remain in the league, but I did not accomplish that," added Maxwell.

7-0 hammering

Meanwhile, Humble Lion hammered already-relegated Benfica 7-0 at Drax Hall, to win three valuable points and secure their place in the premiership.

Kevin Lamey, Denzil Mitchell, Kevin Mighty, Sean Coleman, Carlington Smith and Michael Moreland were among the scorers.

In the other bottom-six battle, Craig Foster (third minute) scored at Frome Sports Ground to hand Reno a 1-0 win over Arnett Gardens and seventh position on 50 points. Arnett stayed on 47 and ended eighth.

In the top six, Kemar Petrekin's 43rd-minute goal handed Harbour View a 1-0 win over Portmore United at Harbour View Mini Stadium, as the Stars of the East, last year's winners, ended third on 61 points.

Portmore finished fifth on 48 points, three less than fourth-place Waterhouse, which played to a goalless finish against Village United at Waterhouse Mini Stadium.

Village ended with 47 points.