By Nodley Wright, Staff Reporter
Hazard midfielder Wolry Wolfe (right) and Arnett Gardens forward Leon Strickland tussle for the ball during the National Premier League match at the Spanish Town Prison Oval yesterday. Looking on are Arnett's Cornel Chin-Sue (left) and Sean Fraser of Hazard. The game ended 1-1. - Ian Allen/Staff Photographer
HAZARD maintained their two-point advantage at the top of the National Premier League table yesterday after playing to a 1-1 draw with defending champions Arnett Gardens at the Spanish Town Prison Oval.
Substitute Roen Nelson scored for Hazard in the 58th minute with his first touch of the ball while Kevin Wilson equalised for Arnett Gardens in the 67th minute. Both teams are now closer to semi-final places with 45 and 43 points respectively.
Tivoli Gardens worked themselves back into a top four position after whipping Wadadah 4-0 at the Railway Oval. Roland Dean, Raymond Smith, Christopher Nicholas and Andrew Chisholm scored for the home team. They are now on 40 points, three behind Arnett Gardens and the same as Constant Spring. Tivoli Gardens, however, have a superior goal difference to Constant Spring.
Constant Spring held on to their fourth place after playing to a 1-1 draw with Reno at Frome. Constant Spring took the lead before Reno eaqualised. Reno are still in danger of becoming the second team to be relegated. With the one point earned from the draw, Reno inched upwards to 24 points, eight behind their nearest rivals Wadadah.
At The Ferdie Neita Park, former champions Waterhouse kept up their unbeaten run in the third round with a 2-1 win over the already relegated Duhaney Park. Captain Irvino English and Weston Forrest scored for Waterhouse while Henroy Mitchell pulled one back for Duhaney Park.
Waterhouse's win kept their outside chance of a place in the last four alive as they now find themselves on 37 points, two behind fifth-placed Harbour View and three behind third and fourth-placed Tivoli Gardens and Constant Spring on 40 points.
Village United continued their run of claiming precious scalps in the third round.
Yesterday they edged former champions Harbour View 1-0 courtesy of a 63rd minute strike from Teofore Bennett who has rediscovered his goalscoring touch under coach Geoffrey Maxwell. This win followed a 1-0 win over Tivoli Gardens. Village are now on 36 points and they too cannot be ruled out for a place in the top four.
At the Spanish Town Prison Oval, an accomplished-looking Hazard United had the better of play against their opposition in the first half. They controlled the midfield, used the width of the field, the speed and skill of their younger legs to good advantage.
Arnett Gardens found themsleves playing catch up in this department as they could not match the industry of Chris Dawes in midfield. He was well backed up by Omar Daley, Sean Fraser, Wolry Wolfe and Kevin Deerr who looked quite busy.
Everton Bunsie gave a good display until he he got injured. Fabian Davis looked a shadow of himself while Jonathan Williams played too deep.
Hazard's class told in the 58th minute when Daley lost Jermaine Benjamin on the right flank and crossed inside for Nelson to turn the ball home with his first touch. The deficit, it seems, sprung Arnett to life and substitute Cornel Chin-Sue especially brought the fight for his team. He created two good chnaces for Davis but he failed to capitalise on them.
Just as he was about to be substituted Benjamin played his part in creating the equalising goal. His ball to Barnes was floated in the box to Leon Strickland who headed across the box for Messam to tee up Kevin Wilson.
The former national player needed no invitation to shoot and his powerful effort kissed the back of the net and rolled down to the ground past a dejected Shawn Sawyers who had an outstanding game.
RESULTS
Hazard 1 Arnett Gardens 1
Village 1 Harbour View 0
Waterhouse 2 Duhaney Park 1
Tivoli 4 Wadadah 0
Reno 1 Constant Spring 1
3RD ROUND POINTS STANDINGS
Zone A
| Teams | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts | T/Pts |
| Waterhouse | 7 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 15 | | 37 |
| Village | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 11 | 6 | 14 | 36 |
| H/View | 7 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 8 | 7 | | 39 |
| C/Spring | 7 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 11 | 14 | 6 | | 40 |
| D/Park | 7 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 15 | 3 | | 9 |
Zone B
| Hazard | 7 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 11 | 6 | 12 | 45 |
| Tivoli | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 6 | 11 | 40 |
| Arnett | 7 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 10 | 43 |
| Wadadah | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 10 | 32 |
| Reno | 7 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 13 | 7 | 24 |
