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Tivoli Gardens scored a decisive 3-1 win over Reno FC at the Edward Seaga Sports Complex and went back atop the Cash Plus Premier League yesterday. Tivoli regained pole position mainly because Portmore United is participating in a friendly game in the Cayman Islands as only four games were played. Goals by Kevin Blackford in the 17th minute, Craig Stewart 37th and Sheldon Palmer in the 68th, propelled Tivoli Gardens to their 16 win of the season. Dwayne Plummer had briefly pulled Reno in the 20th with a powerful header before Tivoli went into overdrive. The West Kingston-based team once again overtook Portmore and are on 52 points from 28 games while Portmore are on 50 from 27 games. Struggling Reno of Westmoreland, was suffering their fifth defeat in nine games and remained in 11th spot on 27 points in the 12-team league. The Wendell Downswell-coach outfit have not won since beating Village United 1-0 on January 20, 2008.
Over at the Collie Smith Drive Sports Complex, home team Boys' Town had to settle for a 0-0 draw against Sporting Central Academy. Boys' Town, dominated the entire game but had to settle for a share of the points, dropping two crucial points in their title bid. Boys' Town remained in third spot on 43 points, some nine points behind the leader Tivoli Gardens on 52 points with 10 games remaining. Clarendon's Sporting Central stayed eighth on 33 points in their first season in the top league inclusive of eight wins and nine draws.
Over in Portland at Lynch Park, home team St George's FC had to come from behind to hold Arnett Gardens to an exciting 2-2 draw. Former national player Fabian Davis struck two early blows for Arnett Gardens in the second and 12th minutes and looked well on their way to a rare win. But St George's had other ideas as Barrington James in the 37th and Hillel Dean in the 51st both scored for a share of the points. St George's with that point, climbed one spot to sixth on 35 points, just ahead of Seba United on 34. Arnett Gardens remained in the clutches of the relegation battlers on 31 points inclusive of a season-high 16th drawn game from 28 games with only five victories and seven defeats.
Meanwhile, at the UWI Bowl, relegation favourites August Town scored their first win in seven games with a comprehensive 3-0 whipping of Seba United. The young Mitchily Waul grabbed a brace in the first and 63rd minutes while Asphas Bernard completed the rout in the 33rd minute. Waul, on loan from Harbour View, was notching his third goal in two games and his fourth of the season. The Dominic Spaulding-coached August Town was securing only their sixth win of the campaign and it couldn't have come at a better time. They remained at the bottom on 26 points but more importantly are only one point behind the 11th-placed team Reno and just five behind Arnett Gardens and a cluster of other mid table teams in their relegation battle. St James outfit Seba United dropped a spot to seventh on 34 points but seemed to have lost focus and have lost four of their last five games. With only eight points separating seventh from 12th place and with 10 games to go, the relegation battle will be very interesting, in which two teams will get the drop.
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