Photo: Montego Bay United striker Dino Williams prepares to pull the trigger against Tivoli Gardens in the Red Stripe Premier League. Williams scored both goals in his teams 2-0 win as they now sit comfortably on top of the league with 17 points. Tivoli Gardens slipped to sixth place as they remain on 11 points. Williams leads the league in scoring with 8 goals from 8 games.
League leaders Montego Bay United pulled the plug on the high riding Tivoli Gardens FC three game winning streak on Sunday courtesy of a first half brace from talisman Dino Williams, his fifth of the season and fourth in the Red Stripe Premier League.
The western based club coming off a pulsating 2-2 draw at home to Harbour View, now stretches their win record to five for the season.
Williams found the net on two occasions at the Railway Oval to give Mobay United an important three points ahead of a tricky run of fixtures that includes matches at home to Arnett Gardens, Waterhouse and Rivoli FC away.
The National invitee first capped off a superb follow up from a comedy of errors between goalkeeper Edsel Scott and his defenders in the 4th minute, then nodded home a well taken corner kick on the stroke of halftime.
Tivoli Gardens ran Arnett Gardens to the ground the week before but lacked guile and creativity going forward against the league leaders Mobay United.
A well oiled Mobay United was the quicker out of starting blocks. After going ahead in the 4th minute the visitors dictated the game mainly through captain and influential player Dwayne Ambusley. Despite having the lion’s share of the ball they were unable to add to their early goal.
Tivoli however, got a foot hold in the contest and should have levelled things up in the 24th minute when Andre Morgan picked his own teammate’s pocket to unleash a thunderbolt that brought goalkeeper Jacomeno Barrett to pull off a miraculous save. The resulting free kick was cleared out of the area by Ronaldo Rodney and Allan Ottey was sent on his way by Owayne Gordon. A last ditch tackle by Shavar Campbell prevented Ottey from a clear goal scoring opportunity. Former national player Jermaine ‘ Teddy’ Johnson made some telling runs into the box but his final pass or final decision continues to haunt him this season.
The final five minutes of the first half was played deep into the Tivoli Gardens half. The visitors kept knocking at the door and they looked like the team that would score the next goal. In the 45 minute Corey Hylton clearly kicked the ball on his opponent for a goal kick but referee Kevin Morrison thought otherwise and gave Mobay a corner kick. The lethal Williams was found in the box marginally unmarked, he rose higher than Hylton to firmly steer the ball past the hapless Scott for a 2-0 lead heading into the break.
After the break, the home team came out in search of an early goal and almost got it in the 46th minute. Shawn McKoy made a surging run inside the box to open up the defense for Flemmings to shoot but his effort was quickly closed down by Barrett. It was all Tivoli for the first period in the second half. In minute 58, Junior Flemmings darted down the right flank and whipped in a teasing ball, which found the forehead of Miguel Ricketts who only could manage to angle it wide.
Coach Christopher Bender made a couple changes in an effort to inject pace and creativity into their game. In the 65th minute Flemmings again proved to be a thorn in Mobay’s defense, his twinkle toes, pace and his clever footballing wit was enough to out fox Keniel Kirlew leaving his marker in shambles before he made a sublime pass to Rohan Reid whose dismal first touch prevented anything from happening 8 yards from goal.
The Kingston based team pressed long and hard but just couldn’t find the break through. Mobay then decided to play safe with two goals in the bag. Captain Ambusley ordered his troops to play compact, leaving only Ottey up front to offer any fight as they comfortably saw out the game.
Mobay United not sits atop the pile on 17 points two better than Portmore United, while Tivoli Gardens fell to 6th in the tables on 11 points.
Mobay United coach Tim Hankinson was pleased with the showing of Dino Williams, “He (Dino Williams) is coming off an injury, actually still has the injury but was able to manage through it, gave us a great first half and the points that we needed with those first two goals.
“We defend in an area of the field where we are comfortable, it compliments the type of players we have and as long as we can defend well we will put ourselves in a position to win. It does not mean we are defensive team, it’s just the understanding of where to defend and how to defend together it sets up your attack and as long as we do the first thing well, the second one will come,” Hankinson stated.
Tivoli Gardens coach Christopher Bender: “Midway the first half the guys lost concentration hence giving up two goals. They made too many individual mistakes and that cost us. We came back out in the second half created a couple opportunities but it wasn’t our game today.”
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