Tivoli Gardens back on top - Portmore, Harbour View lose in Premier League action

Ainsley Walters, Freelance Writer

TIVOLI GARDENS last night regained their lead atop the Cash Plus Premier League standings, beating Seba United 2-1 at Jarrett Park to rush past Portmore United, who crumbled to a 2-0 home loss against improving Boys' Town at Ferdie Neita Park.

Goals from Roland Dean and Creig Morrison in either half rallied Tivoli from a goal down after Delroy Ellis opened the scoring for Seba.

The win pushed Tivoli to 46 points, two clear of Portmore, who started the day a point ahead but were dealt a lesson in all-out attacking football by Boys' Town, who got their opening goal after just seven minutes from Denzil Watson pouncing on a high ball punched to his feet, just inside the left of the box, by goalie Dwayne Kerr.

Watson's shot caught Kerr in no-man's-land and started a decline in Portmore's play, as Damion Williams was ejected two minutes later for stomping midfielder Michael Campbell in a touchline incident.

Renae Lloyd netted a beauty in the 70th minute following an impressive build-up, which ended with the midfielder beating Kerr at his near post, from outside the box, with a torrid shot, which caught the Portmore goalie reacting late.

Big victory

Boys' Town jumped to 38 points with their big victory, joining Waterhouse, who played out a 1-1 draw with Arnett Gardens at the Tony Spaulding Sports Complex.

The point earned at Arnett retained third spot, on goal difference, for Waterhouse over Boys' Town.

Meanwhile, defending champions Harbour View's wretched winless streak continued as they were cut down 2-1 by Village United at Compound.

Jermaine Taylor cancelled Troy Smith's penalty but Fabian Dawkins struck in the second half for the men from Trelawny, lifting them to their highest spot this season, 10th on goal difference, sharing 26 points with now next-to-last Reno, who were hammered 5-2 at Sporting Central.

Sixth-place St Georges' game against cellar team August Town was not played.

At Ferdie Neita Park, Portmore's need for more penetrating forwards was exposed as the pair of Anthony Bennett and Steven Morrissey was pulled in a 61st minute double substitution by coach Linval Dixon.

However, their replacements, Roen Nelson and Carlington Smith, had few chances as Boys' Town's midfield, led by George Vernal, ran rings around the homesters, whose best attempt was a header cleared off the line after 83 minutes.

Boys' Town's Andrew Price said his team had come to shut down Portmore.

"It's a much smaller field than we're used to at Collie Smith Drive so we decided to shut down the areas and not allow Portmore to play," he said.

Dixon admitted the loss hurt his team badly.

"It really set us back as Boys' Town is a running team," he remarked. "They really play with heart.