Photo: Kenniel Hyde prepares to take a throw-in for Arnett Gardens
Live Monday Night Football in the Red Stripe Premier League, returned with a bang to the television screens of local audiences, when Arnett Gardens hosted Montego Bay United in the first live broadcast for the 2013-2014 season. Being aired on Television Jamaica (TVJ) for the first time with a new starting time of 8:45pm, the game promised much and delivered for the most part as the home fans went home satisfied.
Photo: Kenniel Hyde prepares to take a throw-in for Arnett Gardens
Live Monday Night Football in the Red Stripe Premier League, returned with a bang to the television screens of local audiences, when Arnett Gardens hosted Montego Bay United in the first live broadcast for the 2013-2014 season. Being aired on Television Jamaica (TVJ) for the first time with a new starting time of 8:45pm, the game promised much and delivered for the most part as the home fans went home satisfied.
Arnett Gardens who has had a revival in fortunes since the return of Jerome Waite as head coach late last year, started the day in fourth place and five points behind their opponents who were in second. With league leaders Harbour View losing 1-0 on Sunday to Humble Lion, it was the perfect stage for the visitors to cut the gap at the top, while the home team must have fancied their chances of doing likewise.
Both teams started at a frenetic pace in a bruising opening to the contest. It did not take Arnett very long to get into their passing game with short snappy passes as Mobay were made to chase shadows. But the visitors would give as much as they got as both teams tried desperately to control the game.
Arnett seized control of the game and were rewarded for that dominance when the veteran Kevin ‘Pele’ Wilson, who returned to the club from August Town in the transfer window, deftly got by two players in the box before he was brought down in the penalty area. Kemal Malcolm took responsibility for the kick and powered the ball into the back of the net, high to the keepers right in the 16th minute.
To their credit, Mobay United took the game to the home team as they took over the midfield while Arnett Gardens started defending deeper and deeper in their area. Chances fell to Omar Gordon and Allan Ottey but neither of them were able to beat Damion Hyatt in goal .
As the half wore on Arnett were able to get back in the game without creating much more up front and duly went in 1-0 at half time.
Mobay’s quick start to the second half suggested that it was only a matter of time before they would be level. An early corner was missed at the back post by Ottey after the ball bounced in the area and eluded everybody. It was the best chance for the visitors to draw level.
Renae Lloyd who had a very good game in midfield for Arnett, helped to get his team back in the game and then in control as they sought the second goal to kill off the match as a contest.
Shortly before he was withdrawn from the game Wilson had the perfect chance when a diagonal pass from Malcolm picked him out perfectly on the edge of the area, but he hesitated and Barrett was able to close down the space and thwart his effort.
The attacking impetus went out of the Arnett game after Wilson and Malcolm were withdrawn but there was enough time for Odain Simpson to get himself sent off in the 88th minute for a second bookable offence.
A pleased Jerome Waite was happy to secure a sixth win in seven games, the only blemish being a loss to leaders Harbour View.
“The turnout was way better than expected. It is good to see the fans supporting the team in this manner. The main thing to do tonight was to secure three points and we did that. We played against a strong, fit, fast Mobay team and this result shows that we can match up with anybody in the league at the moment,” he said.
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