NPL Round #38 Wrap-Up

By  reporter@premidictor.net

Sunday, May 11th  , 2008

 

Heartbreak for Seba as they join August Town as the two relegated teams

 

 

 

Seba United join August Town as the second team to be relegated from the National Premier League (NPL) after they succumbed 1-2 to Arnett Gardens at Jarrett Park yesterday.

With three teams in Arnett Gardens (43), Seba United (42) and St George's SC (41), all starting the day knowing that one will be playing in the lower division next season, the battle at Jarrett Park was tense and nerve rattling

With August Town already being relegated, the visiting Arnett Gardens wasted no time in hitting the board, when the inform Horace Sharpe converted a 17th minute penalty for his sixth goal of the season — three of which are penalties.

Seba United's Jerome Eccleston was also red carded for handling the ball which led to the penalty putting tremendous pressure on the home team.

But Seba quickly found the equaliser via another penalty in the 22nd minute after referee Lewin Purser again pointed to the spot and Delroy Ellis made no mistake.

Charlie Smith schoolboy Andrew Phang became a folklore hero for Arnett Gardens, when he grabbed the winner in the 90th minute, firing home from just inside the box to break the heart of the St James faithful.

Former champions Arnett Gardens jumped to eighth spot on 46 points while Seba finished in 11th on with 42 points.

 

At Lynch Park, St George's scored their most important win of the season edging Reno FC 1-0 to avoid relegation. It was St George's 10th home win of the season.

Denroy Dennis struck in the 33rd minute for his ninth and most important goal for the Portland-based outfit to jump two places into ninth spot on 44 points.

Reno which slump to their 13th defeat of the season, narrowly missed being relegated on 43 points in 10th spot.

 

At the Ferdie Neita Park, champions Portmore United played to a tame 1-1 draw with Tivoli Gardens as they celebrate their fourth NPL title.

The tall Damion Gordon headed Tivoli Gardens in front in the 26th minute after latching onto a Roland Dean cross.

But substitute Ricardo Cousins levelled the scores in the 63rd minute with a brilliant volley for a share of the points.

Portmore closed the season on 75 points while Tivoli Gardens stayed second on 66 points.

 

 

Over at the UWI Bowl, the relegated August Town scored a morale-boosting 4-3 win over Village United with two late goals from goalkeeper-turned-striker Devon Haughton.

Haughton who kept goal throughout the season but strikes for UWI in the Business House competition netted in the 88th and 89th minutes to secure a famous come-from-behind win.

The visiting Village went two nil up after Devron Clarke struck two telling blows in the 20th and 35th minute.

Asphas Bernard pulled one back for August Town in the 40th minute before Andre Madison levelled the game in the 65th minute but Ricardo Reid put Village back in front in the 83rd minute.

The Trelawny-based team must have think they did enough to secure victory but Haughton had other ideas.

Haughtom struck in the 88th and 89th to secure only their ninth win of the season.

August Town, which will be playing Super League next season, moved t 38 points, four behind fellow relegation team Seba on 42.

Village ended the season on 46 points in seventh spot, the same as Arnett Gardens, but with a better head-to-head record.

 

 

Over at the Collie Smith Drive Sports Complex, third placed Boys Town whipped Waterhouse 4-2.

Denzil Watson (23rd) and two goals in a minute by Garfield Gillespie and George Vernal in the 65th minute took control early and never looked back.

But late goals by Weston Forest (84th) and Newton Sterling (85th) cut the deficit to one, before Renae Lloyd sealed the win in the 89th minute.

Boys' Town consolidated third spot with 58 points while Waterhouse stayed fifth on 47 points.

 

Meanwhile outgoing champion harbour View played to a1-1 draw with Sporting Central Academy at Brancourt.

Andre Allen gave the home team Sporting Central the lead in the 41st minute before Harbour View's Under-21 player Nicoy Williams tied the game with nine minutes remaining.

Harbour View, the Caribbean Champion, finished in fourth on 51 points while first time NL team Sporting ended a creditable sixth with 45 points