Day one, of the two day second round, of the FLOW Champions Cup saw an impressive early season display by the defending champions Tivoli Gardens as they came out 4-2 winners over neighbours Boys Town at the Edward Seaga Sports Complex yesterday.
Day one, of the two day second round, of the FLOW Champions Cup saw an impressive early season display by the defending champions Tivoli Gardens as they came out 4-2 winners over neighbours Boys Town at the Edward Seaga Sports Complex yesterday.
The game had a scrappy opening but came to life after a long delay due to an injury suffered by Tivoli goalkeeper Edsel Scott midway the first half. The home team took control of the game right after that and launched a series of raids on the visitors goal.
There was an air of inevitability about the first goal of the game going to Tivoli and it came after a cross from the left fell kindly to Andre Morgan after two players slipped trying to get to the cross. He controlled with his right foot before switching to the left and placing the ball in the far corner of the net from just inside the area in the 30th minute leaving Boys Town custodian Kirk Porter had no chance of saving.
It was just reward for their dominant play and Tivoli managed to double their lead just six minutes later when another left sided attack saw the ball come to Jameel Thompson who unleashed a fierce drive over Porter who could not have been pleased with his team’s defending.
The body language of Boys Town coach Andrew Price showed clearly how he was feeling about the woeful defensive display of his team. After all, he was known for his no-nonsense defending for the club he now coaches.
Things would only get worse for the Red Brigade as yet another ridiculous defensive error in the 39th minute gifted Kaemmar Daley the ball and he gladly accepted before teeing up his own shot and firing a fierce grounder that beat the diving Porter all ends up.
The Edward Seaga Sports Complex was rocking at this point but the wind was taken out of their sails when Rohan Reid picked up a silly second caution for a needless challenge in stoppage time.
Boys Town threatened to blow the game wide open when they pulled a goal back with just over 60 seconds on the second half clock. Marvin Stewart was played in down the flank and with no one closing him down delivered a perfectly weighted cross to his captain Michael Campbell on the far post. The finish by the skipper was neat as he side-footed it in to reduce the deficit to 3-1.
The boys from Collie Smith Drive pushed for another goal to reduce the deficit further still but found a now organized Tivoli defense up to the task. Any hopes of a famous comeback were dashed when Carlos Wright dallied on a ball he could easily have cleared and slipped letting in Rafiek Thomas who raced towards goal before slotting past Porter.
Boys Town would get on the score sheet again, in the 87th minute, but it would prove to be too little too late as Tivoli Gardens ran out deserved winners.
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