In what is turning out to be one of the closest seasons ever in the Red Stripe Premier League, Boys Town and Portmore United met at the Collie Smith Drive in search of three points which would help them push up the table.
In what is turning out to be one of the closest seasons ever in the Red Stripe Premier League, Boys Town and Portmore United met at the Collie Smith Drive in search of three points which would help them push up the table.
Boys Town in 10th position and Portmore United in 11th position both started the day on 20 points; separated only by goal difference and just three points behind Rivoli United who were in 5th position.
Neither team would have required much motivation to go out and claim all three points, but it was the away team that settled first. Playing their usual passing game, the Portmore midfield marshaled by captain Damion Williams, pushed the home team back but failed to trouble Boys Town goal keeper Kirk Porter.
The first real chance of the game came on the half hour mark when a precise pass from Asrick Samuels found Peter Keys inside the box and the forward swiveled and shot to the near post. It took all the athleticism of Gariece McPherson to tip the ball over the bar as it headed perilously close to the top corner of the goal.
As the half wore on Portmore started finding gaps and created three gilt edged chances in the last five minutes before the half time whistle.
The first chance was created when overlapping right back Rosario Harriott was played in by Ewan Grandison and his whipped cross was palmed into the path of Adoah Nickle by Porter but the forward skied his effort from inside the box.
The second chance was created when Steven Williams outmuscled a defender on the left side before pulling back the ball to the edge of the area. Paul Wilson had time to control and pick his spot but only managed to drag his effort wide of Porter’s left post.
The third and probably easiest chance was spurned when Portmore hit Boys Town on the counter from a corner kick. Damion Williams passed to Nickle who poked his effort over the crossbar with Porter and the goal at his mercy. It was his second miss in less than 5 minutes.
Schoolboy Kevin Blackwood of Jamaica College, who was the MVP for the Manning Cup final, was brought in at the start of the second half to replace the ineffective Nicholas McMorris. His presence in the middle of the park gave the Boys Town midfield the impetus it needed and they were the ones creating the chances in the game.
Marvin Stewart raised the hope of the home fans within sixty seconds of the restart as he flashed an effort just wide of the far post.
Both teams battled fiercely for control of the midfield and the Red Brigade had a good chance to test McPherson in the 62nd minute when Stewart was brought down on the edge of the area. The striker got up and took the kick himself but kicked straight into the wall, raising the ire of the home supporters.
Five minutes later it was the turn of Portmore to spur another chance when they hit Boys Town on the counter once more but managed to over play the situation and the chance was lost.
Asrick Samuels whipped in a right sided cross dangerously into the area which was headed away by Grandison as the home team knocked louder on the door.
Both teams were pushing for the go ahead goal which was leaving gaps in midfield and the crowd was anticipating something to savour.
With just about ten minutes left to play, Damion Williams twisted and turned inside the box to create a bit of space before firing on target only to see his effort tipped over by the alert Porter.
Second half substitute for Portmore, Alonzo Adlam was the next to come close when he received a pass on the left flank. The savvy player cut inside unto his right before unleashing a powerful shot only to see his effort flash just wide of Porter’s far post.
Another Portmore substitute could have won it for the visitors but Cleon Pryce slipped just as he was about to shoot and clattered into Porter who got injured on the play. The ball fell kindly to Nickle who fired into the side netting as a Boys Town defender retreated to the goal line.
Portmore who was creating most of the chances in the latter stages had their last opportunity when Rosario Harriott kicked the ball over the bar from inside the 6 yard box.
The last chance of the game fell to Boys Town, but Rohan Scott who played for Camperdown in the Manning Cup and was making his debut, failed to hit the target as the game ended 0-0 to the disappointment of the fans.
Andrew Price, Boys Town head coach, was not dismayed by the result at the end of the game.
“Injuries and suspensions forced us to put a number of young players in the squad today. I think they acquitted themselves really well, especially Kevin Blackwood who came in at half time in midfield. We would have liked to have picked up more than a point at home and even had a chance right at the end.
“Nevertheless, we are grateful for a point and we just have to keep working hard and hope we get our frontline players back soon.”
Calvin Lewis but a bit more disappointed with his team saying, “We were awful in front of goal. We were too casual and missed too many chances. We dominated the game for ninety minutes with nothing to show for it.
“A point away from home in the end is good enough anyway,” he concluded.
Both teams remain in 10th and 11th spots respectively and must now be concerned about being cut adrift by the teams at the top.
Photo: Marvin Stewart of Boys Town moves away from Portmore United captain Damion Williams
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