Stalemate Sunday in the RSPL

Photo: Andre McFarlane heads home in the 53rd minute to give home team Tivoli Gardens a 2-1 lead over August Town, the game ended 2-2 when Davion Alves equalized late in the second half

The third round of the Red Stripe Premier League (RSPL) began the way the second round ended for August Town when they drew 2-2 with hosts Tivoli Gardens at the Edward Seaga Sports Complex on Sunday March 2nd.

Photo: Andre McFarlane heads home in the 53rd minute to give home team Tivoli Gardens a 2-1 lead over August Town, the game ended 2-2 when Davion Alves equalized late in the second half

The third round of the Red Stripe Premier League (RSPL) began the way the second round ended for August Town when they drew 2-2 with hosts Tivoli Gardens at the Edward Seaga Sports Complex on Sunday March 2nd.

It was the third time the teams were meeting this season with Tivoli winning both previous fixtures played at the UWI Bowl by scores of 1-0 and 5-1. But August Town are a much changed unit, having traded wisely during the transfer window, and it showed on Sunday.

The hosts got the brighter start when striker Navion Boyd struck the upright with a fierce right footed drive in the 4th minute with the August Town custodian Devon Haughton completely beaten.

August Town went close themselves five minutes later when Tivoli keeper Edsel Scott palmed away a corner and his defenders failed to clear their lines properly. The ball fell kindly for Andre Aiken but his shot went inches wide of Scott’s right post. 

The visitors were ahead in the 15th minute when a mix up in defence between Scott and his captain Kasai Hinds resulted in the keeper failing to make a routine catch. The ball bounced kindly for Jerome Wedderburn who was lurking at the back post and he nodded home to give his team the lead.

August Town should have doubled their lead just a minute later when Rohan Williams arrived at the near post to meet a cross from Wedderburn but his side footed effort went the wrong side of the post.

Tivoli responded to the pressure through their best midfielder, Keammar Daley who started pulling the strings in the middle of the park. He picked out the lanky Rohan Reid at the back post in the 25th minute, but the midfielder was unable to get his header on target.

Daley was on hand to turn home a flick on by Andre McFarlane from a free kick. Daley was almost on the goal line when he prodded home in the 29th minute to draw his team level.

The visitors fought their way back into the match and a powerful drive from Lennox Creary from all of 30 yards was parried onto the post by an alert Scott before it was cleared by his defenders. The final chance of the half also fell to August Town but David Stultz’s shot was straight at Scott who held on safely as the half ended 1-1.

Tivoli Gardens were ahead  for the first time in the match, only eight minutes after the restart, when Daley caught out a flat footed August Town defence. His neatly taken free kick to the near post was headed home by Andre McFarlane as the home fans celebrated their team being in front.

Daley was at it again ten minutes later and his curling cross was met by McFarlane at the far post but his header went just over the crossbar. 

As the half wore on the Tivoli team backed off as if protecting their one goal lead and the visitors took full advantage, taking over the midfield and creating a few half chances.

August Town grabbed a share of the points with just under 15 minutes left to play after Tivoli conceded a needless free kick deep inside their half. The kick taken by Stultz was not cleared properly by the Tivoli defenders and when the ball fell to second half substitute Davion Alves, the midfielder made no mistake, driving to the far post to give his team a much deserved equalizer.

Tivoli got two bites of the cherry to get the winner in stoppage time but failed to make the most of it.

First, substitute Elton Thompson’s shot after a driving right side run was palmed away at the near post for a corner by Haughton and from the resultant corner McFarlane should have scored but his tame effort from eight yards was straight at a grateful Haughton. In the end a draw was a fair result based on the overall balance of play.

Tivoli coach Glendon Bailey was not surprised by the fight of the visitors, “we knew it would be a tough game today, we have seen them play since the close of the transfer window and we knew that they were a better team.

He blamed the opening goal of the game for the eventual result, “we conceded a soft goal and that cost us the game. It was a mix up in defence between Robbie and Kasai. After we went 2-1 up we allowed August Town to come at us in the second half. Nonetheless we are grateful not to lose the first game of the third round because we are in a battle with Arnett Gardens for the coveted fourth spot and a place in the semifinal round.”

Baris Johnson is acutely aware of the fact that his team needs to start converting the single points they have been gathering into three. “To avoid the drop we must start winning games,” he said succinctly.

“It is unfortunate that we didn’t win today. Tactically we did well but we didn’t move the ball fast enough in midfield. The objective is to start winning games this round,” he concluded.

In the day’s other game Rivoli United and Arnett Gardens played out a 0-0 scoreline.