National player Jevaughn Watson unleashed a 20-yard beauty that scored to help Sporting Central Academy beat Rivoli 2-1 and secure their place in the next season’s Digicel Premier League.
Watson’s goal was the tiebreaker after both teams were locked 1-1 with 10 minutes of regulation time left.
Devon Hodges (Rivoli) and Jamali Powell (60th) had earlier got on the scoresheet to sustain the hopes of the respective teams.
The game was crucial to both teams’ position for next season, with Sporting requiring a win after entering the game with 40 points. Rivoli, on 42, needed just a draw or alternatively massive defeats for Arnett Gardens and Humble Lion in their respective matchups against August Town and Portmore United.
Brandon Murray, manager/owner of Sporting Central Academy, said he had envisioned Watson playing a crucial role in deciding the team’s fate.
The key
“Before we started the last two games, I told Jevaughn we wanted a leader,” Murray told The Gleaner.
“We had seen it from other teams in much the same way Richard McCallum did it for Waterhouse when they played against us here (Brancourt) and you see it in Jermaine Hue for Harbour View. Once he produced, it was always going to be key for us. It turned out he scored last week (against August Town) and today (yesterday) again.”
The disappointment of the Spanish Town team was probably lost in the massive celebrations of Sporting Central, who were having their best spectator support in three months.
Captain Omar Parker, who had played for the last seven years, summed up the mood and also aptly where his team got it wrong.
“I feel upset, in fact, very terrified. We came here with a game plan to come out and play, but you can’t defend in football for 90 minutes,” Parker emphasised.
“I believe if we had stuck to the game plan by playing positively (then we wouldn’t have lost); not doing that cost us.”
Second fiddle
Despite playing second fiddle to the home side for the first half-hour, Rivoli got the psychological beak after Gregory Lewis needlessly fouled Kirk Ramsey in the 18-yard box, only for referee Valdin Legister to point to the penalty spot.
Devon Hodges easily converted for a 1-0 lead after 29 minutes.
Sadly, that was the national striker’s only significant contribution for the entire afternoon. He looked woefully overweight and did little to make life uncomfortable for the Sporting defenders. In fairness, Hodges was the lone crusader up front; and Rivoli’s task became even worse when Parker was sent off in the 33rd minute for striking Hughan Grey.
The one-man advantage provided further attacking impetus for Sporting and after a series of close shaves, they finally got the equaliser before Watson’s goal settled the outcome.
Standings
Final standings in the Digicel Premier League after yesterday’s last round of matches
| # | TEAM | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Harbour View FC | 38 | 23 | 8 | 7 | 53 | 27 | 26 | 77 |
| 2 | Tivoli Gardens FC | 38 | 18 | 12 | 8 | 58 | 32 | 26 | 66 |
| 3 | Waterhouse | 38 | 17 | 9 | 12 | 43 | 35 | 8 | 60 |
| 4 | St. Georges SC | 38 | 12 | 14 | 12 | 32 | 38 | -6 | 50 |
| 5 | Boys’ Town FC | 38 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 33 | 36 | -3 | 49 |
| 6 | Village United FC | 38 | 11 | 15 | 12 | 35 | 40 | -5 | 48 |
| 7 | Portmore United FC | 38 | 11 | 14 | 13 | 24 | 28 | -4 | 47 |
| 8 | Arnett Gardens FC | 38 | 10 | 15 | 14 | 36 | 38 | -2 | 45 |
| 9 | Sporting Central A | 38 | 9 | 16 | 13 | 33 | 34 | -1 | 43 |
| 10 | Humble Lion FC | 38 | 9 | 16 | 14 | 32 | 36 | -4 | 43 |
| 11 | Rivoli United FC | 38 | 9 | 15 | 14 | 36 | 45 | -9 | 42 |
| 12 | August Town FC | 38 | 9 | 9 | 20 | 28 | 54 | -26 | 36 |
(Tabulate under Teams, P-Play, W-Win, D-Draw, L-Lose, GF-Goals For, GA-Goals Against, Pts-Points)
Yesterday’s Results
- Tivoli Gardens 1 Arnett Gardens 2
- Waterhouse 6 St Georges 1
- Boys’ Town 1 Village United 1
- Portmore United 0 Humble Lion 0
- Sporting Central 2 Rivoli United 0
- August Town 0 Arnett Gardens 4