Cavalier SC will be left licking their wounds and wondering how it is that they lost to Tivoli Gardens in the quarter finals of the Jamaica Yellow Pages/KSAFA Jackie Bell Knock Out competition played at the Waterhouse Mini-Stadium on Wednesday January 22nd.
Cavalier SC will be left licking their wounds and wondering how it is that they lost to Tivoli Gardens in the quarter finals of the Jamaica Yellow Pages/KSAFA Jackie Bell Knock Out competition played at the Waterhouse Mini-Stadium on Wednesday January 22nd.
Cavalier who started with a young team and had at least six players who have come up through their youth system in their line-up dominated the game early.
Most of their attacks were down their right side, Chevone Marsh carrying a real threat each time he got on the ball. Marsh helped create the first chance of the game in the 7th minute when he whipped in a cross that was met with a header by Deno Schaffe. The effort failed to test Deron Duncan in the Tivoli goal as the keeper watched the ball sail harmlessly over the bar.
Conroy Johnson, Marsh and Sean Fogah combined well shortly after to create a shooting opportunity for Fogah but his tame effort was straight at Duncan who gathered easily.
Donovan Alvaranga was having a good game in the holding role for Cavalier, protecting the back four and preventing schoolboy standout, Junior Flemmings from getting a look in.
It took Tivoli 18 minutes to get a meaningful shot on target when Jamie Robinson fired a powerful swerving shot on target that Jovell Plunkett had to gather at the second attempt.
Shawn McKoy, seeing the effort from his teammate Robinson tried his luck from distance as well, but his effort was way wide and he would have been better served by trying to pass instead.
Midway the half Fogah should have put Cavalier ahead when a knock down from Marsh presented him with a guilt edged opportunity, but the sliding effort from the striker went high over the bar from just on the penalty spot.
Robinson would have another effort on target for Tivoli but his flicked header from a right sided cross was no trouble for Plunkett.
That chance was followed by the miss of the game when Cavalier captain Girvon Brown, somehow managed to hook the ball over the goal from almost on the goal line when Fogah’s goal bound effort never appeared to even need a touch.
It was a bad miss with less than ten minutes to go before the break.
Tivoli began the second half like a team that had received a proper dressing down at the half time break.
Suddenly Rohan Reid were Keammar Daley were more visible in midfield and their efforts along with the lively runs of Robinson saw the Admiral Bailey coached team have a greater presence in the game.
Daley started pushing higher up the pitch, combining well with Flemmings to get into better attacking positions. The diminutive midfielder hit a free kick into the wall in the 53rd minute but would get closer and closer with his efforts as the game progressed.
With the attacking impetus now with Tivoli, Reid flashed an effort wide four minutes after the Daley free kick as the team in orange and black enjoyed a period of supremacy in the game.
Cavalier was by no means out of it and they gave Tivoli a scare when Al Nesbeth headed an out swinging corner back into the danger area and the follow up header by Jemar Thomas was inches over the bar.
Shortly after Plunkett did well to leave his lines to snuff out a quick Tivoli counter attack as the game became a more open affair.
The keeper was called into action again when he needed two attempts to save a Daley shot at his near post in the 73rd minute.
Just two minutes later, Tivoli was awarded a free kick on the edge of the area. Flemmings ran over the ball before Daley fired on target directly at Plunkett. The keeper patted down the ball which had no real venom on it and the bounce took it over the line before Plunkett to gather it on the second attempt as Tivoli now led 1-0.
Cavalier went on the hunt for the equalizer and after Duncan punched away a free kick, the ball fell kindly to Norman Bailey, but the player watched in amazement as Duncan recovered well to push the ball behind for a corner as Tivoli clung to their slender lead.
In the end, the fortuitous Daley effort was enough to send Tivoli through to the semifinals.
Speaking after the game, Tivoli Gardens coach, Glendon Bailey blamed complacency for his team’s poor first half performance.
“I believe the team saw the number of young players being fielded by Cavalier and ruled them out as a threat even before a ball was kicked. We need to be consistent regardless of who we are playing and play with more energy and aggression. We didn’t bring out ‘A’ game at all today.
“I am certain that stronger opposition in the semifinals will bring out the best in the team,” he concluded.
Meanwhile Cavalier coach Lalor was almost at a loss for words, “I am starting to sound like a scratched record. Goals win matches andif you don’t take your chances you are going to lose. It’s that simple.
“Tivoli got one half chance and scored. We played well but we just failed score,” he bemoaned.
Tivoli will face fierce rivals Boys Town in the semifinals who defeated Arnett Gardens in the day’s second encounter.
Photo: Tivoli Gardens midfielder Rohan Reid escapes from Cavalier captain Girvon Brown
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