Lions humbled at Collie Smith Drive

Boys Town showed why they are still a force to be reckoned with in the Red Stripe Premier League when they fought gallantly to secure all three points at Collie Smith Drive on Sunday. A Shamar Nicholas’s strike in the 84th minute brought Humble Lion’s 11 game unbeaten run to a screeching halt.

After a lack luster first half which saw neither team putting together any meaningful attacks, Boys Town were the happier of the two in the second stanza.

This win has allowed Boys Town to leap frog Sporting Central to 9th position on 26 points and left Humble Lion stuck in 4th, tied on points with Harbour View.

Boys Town has collected most of their 26 six points at home and continued to show just how much they are turning Collie Smith Drive into a fortress.

Having lost 2-0 to Montego Bay United away in their last encounter and languishing in the bottom three, a win was a must for the Andrew Price coached team.

Boys Town came into the second half with renewed vigour and immediately got a chance to break the deadlock when Andrew Vanzie fouled Micheal Campbell on top of the box but the resulting free kick was wasted.

The midfield of Boys Town started stoking the ball around the park with real intent. In minute 52 Micheal ‘Bangie’ Campbell’s ferocious shot was charged down by Humble Lions Ronaldo Christian.

Devon Hodges demonstrated why Humble Lion brought him in from Rivoli in minute 55 when he weaved past two defender with his pace and trickery before slipping through a cheeky pass to Ricardo Cousins, but the latter was beaten to the ball by the ever vigilant Asrick Samuels.

Captain Jermaine Christian was concentrating on the attacking aspect of his game hence leaving a hole in the left side of defence for the witty Xavian ‘Billy’ Virgo to exploit.

In minute 60 Virgo whipped in a cross to the talismatic Rafiek Thomas with pin point accuracy, but Thomas’s poor effort went wide from 8 yards.

Hodges, Christian and Wolery Wolf began pressing higher up field in search of the opener for Humble Lion, giving Boys Town more time on the ball in midfield, which was playing to their detriment.

Five minutes later Thomas was at the center of attention again with a mesmerising team move in which Thomas was sent on his way by Micheal Campbell’s sumptuous first-time pass after neat link-up play from Mitchly Waul. Thomas turned his marker on the edge of the area but his weak effort went harmlessly wide with only the goalkeeper to beat.

Referee Dwight Royal was verbally abused by the corybantic traveling supporters because of a call they deemed as a blatant error. The infuriated Donovan Duckie was removed from the touch line for his unsportsmanlike behavior.

The play was also stopped for three minutes and a yellow card was issued to Ricardo Campbell for decent. When the game was restarted both teams decided to beef up their attack in an effort to go for the kill. Leaunghn Williams was introduced for Humble Lion and National U-20 starlet Shamar Nicholson for Boys Town.

The momentum however was switched in Humble lions favor. Williams made his presence felt immediately in one of the numerous attacks made by Humble Lion on Boys Town. His peppering shot from 40 yards left Carlos Wright injured on the deck after he used his body to block the strike.

After failing to capitalize on their chances, Shamar ‘Bowza’ Nicholson made the visitors pay dearly by taking a superb opportunity given to him ten minutes after entering the field of play. Rafiek Thomas picked him out expertly with a decisive cross and Nicholson’s looping header went in just under the cross bar.

Thomas, in the 87th minute, could have put the game to bed after he was given another glorious opportunity to register his name on the score sheet. His firm header smudged the white paint of the cross bar and rebounded back into play. A goal that late would have knocked the wind out of a sails of the Humble Lion’s team.

However, in time added on and just a goal behind they still felt they could wrestle a point away from home. Kirk Porter almost handed the top four team that opportunity when he failed to collect a cross and gave Jermaine Christian a chance to equalize but Carlos Wright was well placed on the line to save the day.

In the end Boys Town hung on to claim three vitals points and push away from the relegation zone.

A pleased Andrew Price was happy for the win but also cognisant of his team’s woeful away form.

“We have to kick on now and start picking up points on the road. Our next game is at Reno which will be another clinical encounter so we just want to pick up points now and see where it leaves us. Shamar Nicholson normally starts for us but since he came back from the National U-20 he has a niggling injury. But he is working hard in training and today he came up all trumps.”

Linval Wilson was far from impressed with the performance of the referee Royal but blamed complacency for the loss.

“The referee gave us a hard time but they are in charge of the game. I have seen him officiate better games. All in all I think a bit of complacency has crept in because no one thought we would be at this position, not even ourselves. We just have to move on to the next game and continue to work hard”

Both teams will be looking to register wins on the weekend as the race of semi-finals places heats up.