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Karl
Senior Member
USA
914 Posts |
 Posted - Mar 11 2002 : 7:40:20 PM
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Mac
Ranger's article from www.go-kingston.com
Mon Mar 11 10:36:35 2002
130.91.16.87
Tivoli Loses Two Big Games In a Row, Harbour View takes Title
By Maurice 'Ranger' Walker
(Email: brinxranger@hotmail.com)
Harbour View's Jermaine Hue (right) gets a hug from team-mate Robert Scarlett
After losing 2-1 to Harbour View last week in the Jamaica National Federation Cup semi-finals and playing to a lifeless 0-0 draw with Arnett Gardens at Up Park Camp in midweek, Tivoli Gardens again found themselves on the losing end when they were beaten for a second time by Harbour View.
The team that had built up a reputation of scoring many goals in the second round of the NPL has now scored once in three games. It could be argued that they played against two of the top defence line in the league, but having managed to get off two shots (Steve Green in min 13 and 25th min free kick) in 45 minutes against Arnett, the team does not look good going into the second round. Tivoli Gardens created only a handful of chances against Arnett on Wednesday, the best when Rohan Afflick went for power over accuracy from in the area only to see Julian McLeish parrying well. Four seconds later the ball came back to him at the same spot and he sent it woefully high. Most of Arnett's chances fell for Jonathon Williams but he had on off game displaying poor first touch.
Arnett only had a single shot in the first 45 minutes with Bunsie shooting high. With five players out injured and still managing to hold a full strength Tivoli to a scoreless draw, Arnett did very well and fireworks can be expected in the second round from Fabian Davis, Kevin Wilson and to a lesser extent Cornell Chin-Sue. Christopher Nicholas could have taken three points for his team in minute 77 but with McLeish at his mercy, he shot wide from in the six-yard box. The introduction of Roland Dean who sported a bandaged knee did very little for Tivoli.
On Sunday in the End of Second Round Final played at Harbour View Mini Stadium, he was included in the starting line-up, but like his two strike partners Nicholas and Dwayne Richards, he found scoring opportunities rare. Nicholas could have broken the jinx in the opening minutes, but like Afflick on Wednesday, he went for power from close range and kicked straight to Leroy Grey in goal for Harbour View. Harbour View lost Kahreem Cooke early in the game to injury but found even better replacement in Daniel Shaw who forced two good saves from Esdel Scott.
Mark Miller's 23rd minute left footed rocket drew applause from the small partisan (Tivoli) crowd but so too did the brilliant save by Scott. A minute from the break, Jermaine Hue, given lots of room to operate, played a gem of a pass through the middle for Garfield Rennicks to chase. However, with Scott alone to beat he kicked just wide. Seconds later Harbour View was on the attack again, this time, Shaw forcing the first of his two saves from Scott.
One minute after the restart of the second half, a return pass by Dean to Shaw going down the right and again his shot all along the ground had Scott falling quickly to keep his team in the game. A midfield battle brewing between Hue and Steve Green provided some life to the game with both players exchanging deft moves on each other. The introduction of Robert Scarlett just before the break also added punch to Harbour View's attacks. Miller had another effort going straight to Scott while Richard's closer range rocket was deflected
over the bar. The host however broke the deadlock in minute 75 when Miller's return pass to Hue saw him brilliantly faking a pass back to Miller wide on the left, effectively opening the middle for him to dribble ten yards on the now advancing Scott. Scott did well to block Hue's first shot, but he easily rolled the rebound into the back of the net for a 1-0 lead.
Nicholas should have levelled the score after restart but he arrived late to be denied by Grey. Scarlett found himself darting goalward on two occasions that he could have gone straight to goal. But with the intimidating defensive figure of Marco McDonald beckoning him to come, he unwisely chose to pass the ball wide. With three minutes of extra time to play, Rennicks received marching orders from referee Peter Prendergrast for a harsh tackle. Final score 1-0.
JFF Competitions Committee Seminar.
On Friday March 8, I had the pleasure of attending a seminar hosted by the JFF's Competitions Committee to look at Violence in Football and the proposed Professional League. Presentations on violence in football were made by Neville Oxford - Deputy Chairman of the JFF's Disciplinary Committee, Owen Powell of the JFF's Referees Commission and Senior Superintendent Harry Daley of the Jamaica Constabulary Force.
General Secretary of the JFF, Horace Reid, addressed the gathering of NPL and A League club officials and JFF officials preceding Pro-League presentations made by six clubs. The media's perspective was shared by Ian Burnett of the Jamaica Observer, with Simon Crosskill of RJR being a no show.
The man of the moment, Technical Director Designate Carl Brown, home on a one-week visit, closed the proceeding with a riveting address. Please stay tuned for a detailed summary of this seminar.
See you next week. Remember to send emails to brinxranger@hotmail.com.
Karl |
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Ranger on JFF seminars
