NPL Round #03 Wrap-Up

By  reporter@premidictor.net

Sunday, September 28th  , 2008

Waterhouse join Portmore and Harbour View atop the league after plucky win

 

 

Waterhouse defended as if their lives depended on it to hold off Arnett Gardens 1-0 after playing most of the game with 10-men at the Tony Spaulding Sports Complex yesterday.

Irvino English gave the visiting Waterhouse the lead in the 24th minute from the penalty spot after Kenardo Forbes was tripped in the box.

Referee Courtney Campbell did not hesitate in pointing to the spot and English easily fired beyond the outstretched arms of goalkeeper Joel Messam.

But a moment of madness from Waterhouse's central midfielder, Lance DaCosta, changed the tempo of the game.

The towering player challenged and fouled Shane Edwards and while the player was on the ground, he stomped on him and was duly sent to the showers in the 36th minute.

With the one-man advantage, Arnett totally dominated the game but could not find that crucial goal to get back in the game after missing several chances.

Arnett, one of the busiest teams in the transfer market,  are yet to score a goal or garner a point from three games and are rooted to the bottom of the table.

Already the pressure is mounting on coach Jerome Waite after just three games as the home fans are becoming disgruntled after seeing their team suffered another 1-0 defeat.

Waterhouse with their second win have moved to seven points from three games to be joint leaders, a position they are familiar with.

 

At Constant Spring, Harbour View clipped Meadhaven United 2-1 courtesy of a double strike from Lovel Palmer in the 25th and 83rd minutes.

Keammar Daley had level the score for Meadhaven in the 40th minute from the spot but the promoted boys could not hold the Caribbean champions at bay and succumbed with seven minutes remaining.

Harbour View which started the round in second spot jumped to first place with their second win from three games following their 4-0 whipping of Village and 0-0 draw with St George's.

Meadhaven remained on two points and have slipped from sixth to ninth place.

 

Meanwhile champion Portmore United had to come from behind for a 1-1 draw with Village United at Jarrett Park in the late kick-off last night.

Telston Bowen opened the scoring for Village in the 23rd minute but the speedy Eric Vernon equalised in the 45th minute as Portmore grabbed a point.

Portmore dropped their first points of the season to be on seven from three games and also lost top spot to Harbour View.

 

The promoted Rivoli United notched their first win of the season edging Sporting Central Academy 1-0 at the Prison Oval.

Ironically, it was a former Sporting Central player Greg Gardner who scored for Rivoli in the 30th minute.

The Anthony Thompson coached outfit moved off the bottom of the table and into eighth on three points while Clarendon-based Sporting remained on four points but has slipped from third to fifth.

 

At Lynch Park, home team St George's and Tivoli Gardens battled to a tame 0-0 draw.

It was in fact, the third draw for each team and the second 0-0 draw in the last two games.

Both teams with identical record are currently joint seventh on three points after three rounds.

The game between Reno and Boys' Town was rained out and will be played on a rescheduled date to be announced.