Humble Lion held by Reno

Ryon Jones, Gleaner Writer

Humble Lion once again failed to rule their den, as for the fourth consecutive home game, they failed to garner all three points and had to settle for a share of the spoils after playing to a nil-all draw with Reno at Effortville Community Centre yesterday in their National Premier League sixth-round encounter.

The point moved the Lenworth Hyde Sr-coached Humble Lion to 11 points, having played to two draws at home with an equal number of losses, while winning all three away games.

Hyde believes his team's away form compensates for their far-from-flattering home record.

"I am not worried because we are getting the three points on the road, so that makes up for it," Hyde said. "The most important thing is that no goals are scoring on us, as for a couple of games now we have kept clean sheets," he added.

Disappointing results

Hyde did, however, admit to being disappointed with yesterday's result, but attributed the outcome to the pressure the players have possibly placed on themselves.

"They (players) want to do well so badly at home, as the spectators are a very hostile set down here," Hyde reasoned. "They want to see the team win, which you would expect from any spectator, so they (players) are pressuring themselves," he added.

The Humble Lion players attempted to get their fans behind them by shooting on sight at Reno's goal. Their first effort came by way of a 20-yard free kick taken by Mark Miller in the fourth minute, but his effort was straight at the keeper.

The home team came close again in the 27th minute when Carlington Smith dismissed his marker on the left side of the area before getting off a square turned shot, which the keeper got a hand to. He could, however, only manage to palm the ball into the path of Cornelius Henry, but he in turn failed to direct his volley from six yards out on target.

Lamey gets active

The second half saw Humble Lion pick up from where they left off, as Kevin Lamey, who was quiet for most of the game, came close to scoring twice in quick succession.

It was Reno, however, who came closest to steal all three points out of the Lion's mouth in the 89th minute, when Ron Daley and Shashamarley Barrett saw their efforts charged down from inside the area.

Reno's head coach, Wendell Downswell, was pleased with the point and his team keeping a clean sheet to remain the stingiest defensive unit in the league.

"I am pretty satisfied with the point playing away from home and getting a point against Humble Lion, one of the teams that have been doing well in the competition so far," Downswell expressed.