Highgate, Seba inch closer to Premier League

Ryon Jones, Gleaner Writer

Highgate moved within a win of securing one of the two spots up for grabs in next season's Digicel Premier League, following their 2-1 triumph over Rivoli United yesterday in their Jamaica Football Federation All-Island Confederation play-off game at the Spanish Town Prison Oval.

South Central Confederation champions Rivoli took the lead in the 37th minute through a Luke Soares goal.

But St Mary flag-bearers Highgate, the Eastern Confederation champions, kept their unbeaten run in the play-off series intact, courtesy of goals from Richard Orrett (43rd) and Roen Nelson (75th).

The result all but mathematically dashed Rivoli's hopes of returning to the country's top flight next season, as they remain bottom of the four-team series with just one point, with two rounds of matches remaining.

Highgate, in the meanwhile, now have eight points, and a win at home over Seba United on Sunday's penultimate round could be enough to earn them their first taste of Premier League football.

Western Confederation champions Seba, for their part, also took a step closer - in their home encounter at Jarrett Park later in the evening - with a 2-1 win over Kingston and St Andrew Football Association champs Cavalier, that pushed them up to eight points and joint leadership.

Torrey Samuels (12th) and Omar Reid (70th) netted the goals for the Montego Bay team, while Lawrence Richards (90+) scored for the losers.

Early leaders Cavalier, in the meanwhile, remained second from bottom on four points, after suffering their second consecutive loss.

best performance

Highgate's coach, Calvin Lewis, rated his team's performance as one of their best all season and is looking forward to them wrapping up qualification on Sunday.

"I think out of all the games we have played since the Eastern Super League and the play-offs this is the best victory for us," Lewis said. "We played with great character today; the players fought for this one.

"Three points just moves us a step closer, and a win on Sunday will certainly put us in the Premier League," he noted.

Rivoli started out what was an exciting game on the attack and finally reaped the rewards of their offensive thrust in the 37th minute, when Soares ran on to a ball in the area before slotting past Highgate's custodian Leighton Murray.

Highgate's response was instantaneous, however, as Nelson challenged Rivoli's keeper Marlon Henry for an aerial ball, resulting in a spill, which was mopped up by Orrett, who fired past two defenders on the line for his second goal in as many games.

Rivoli were gifted an opportunity to regain the lead in the 52nd minute, when they were awarded a questionable penalty.

Murray, however, pulled off a spectacular diving save to his right to deny second half Rivoli substitute Fidel Anderson.

In the 75th minute, Rivoli's Richard Knight squandered another glorious opportunity to put his team ahead as, despite being unmarked on the back post, he hammered his effort on to the crossbar from five yards out.

staring in disbelief

Rivoli's supporters were still staring in disbelief when Highgate found the winner, thanks to a goal from veteran striker Nelson who, after finding himself on the end of a fastbreak, easily found the back of the net, much to the delight of the huge Highgate following.

Calvert Fitzgerald, coach of Rivoli, was left cursing his team's luck.

"The ball just did not roll for us this time because I thought we got some good opportunities - enough to win the game - as we missed a penalty and struck the bar," Fitzgerald lamented.

"If the ball had rolled our way we would have come out 3-2 winners," he added.