By Daraine Luton, Freelance Writer
Jonathan Williams of Arnett Gardens evades a tackle from Tivoli's Fabian Davis during yesterday's match-up of the Gardens at Tony Spaulding Sports Complex. The teams tied 1-1. - WINSTON SILL/Freelance Photographer
LEON GORDON'S blank sheet in Tivoli Gardens' goal lasted only five minutes, but his 71st minute concession did not hurt his team as they hit back in the 76th minute through a wonder strike from Steve Green to leave the Tony Spaulding Sports Complex with a point, after a 1-1 draw with hosts Arnett Gardens yesterday.
Gordon, who sat on the bench for 66 minutes before replacing the injured Kirk Porter, hardly got the chance to settle into his game before Tivoli Gardens expatriate Andrew Chisholm latched onto a through ball from Kwame Richardson and shot past him to give Arnett a 1-0 lead.
However, Green stitched a beauty in Julian McLeish's net to pull his team level five minutes later. The hardworking midfielder was fed a perfect pass from the imposing but wily Christopher Nicholas inside Arnett's penalty box after their defence was caught napping. From about 16 yards, he rifled a left-footer that flew past a diving McLeish and found a dwelling place in the left corner of the goal.
HEALTHIER GOAL DIFFERENCE
The result helped both teams to 10 points from five games but Tivoli, with a healthier goal difference, sit in fourth place and Arnett dropped to fifth in the standings behind leaders Harbour View (15), and joint second place Portmore (11) and Waterhouse (11).
Arnett's assistant coach, Michael Tulloch, said. "We've a long season ahead of us. We've a lot of players to choose from but it is just a matter of finding the right combination at any time."
He added that his team's ultimate goal is to regain the NPL trophy. Surprisingly, he described next Sunday's away game against the struggling Wadadah team as a must win.
"We need to win that to put ourselves back in contention for the first End of Round final," Tulloch said.
Yesterday Arnett failed to repeat the fireworks they displayed for the better part of the game against Harbour View last week. Richardson, who was chiefly responsible for the spark then, was kept quiet by Victor Thompson for most of the game. Ray Graham, the other playmaker who was dazzling against Harbour View, sat on the bench for the entire game as Kevin Wilson donned Arnett's colours for the first time this season.
LITTLE ROOM
Wilson, in spurts, looked like the player of old but he too got little room in which to operate. The start of the second half produced a rare occasion when he was left free and he fired a wicked right-footer from 25-yards that beat Porter before crashing unto the top of the crossbar on its way into touch.
Meanwhile, Fabian Davis playing against his old team, twice caused anxious moments for Arnett with his trademark free kicks. The first was in the eighth minute when his 25-yard effort forced a timely save from McLeish as it dipped, swirled and threatened the left pigeon hole. Davis produced his second such kick in the 33rd minute that headed for the same area before McLeish tipped it away.
Tivoli's coach Glendon 'Admiral' Bailey said the point away from home was very good.
"It is always a tough game against Arnett and today was no different. We got a point and for that I am happy and more importantly we have kept our unbeaten run going," said Bailey.
He added: "We lost Porter and that changed our tactical game and we also had to adjust our game when we took out Roland Dean (replaced by Marvin Morgan).
