Nodley Wright, Freelance Writer
EIGHTH-PLACED Seba United and last placed Rivoli United played to an exciting 1-1 draw in the Wray and Nephew National Premier League at Jarrett Park last night in one of three games on the day.
In an earlier game played at Frome, defending champions Portmore United dropped more points as they played to a 0-0 draw with Reno. The point saw Portmore inching up to 35, one ahead of Village United who played Wadadah in last night's late game at Jarrett Park.
Seba United's point kept them in eighth place, while Rivoli remained rooted to the bottom of the table on goal difference behind Constant Spring.
At Jarrett, Park Delroy Ellis opened the scoring for the home team with a wonderfully-struck volley in the sixth minute to make good on his pre-match talk that if he did not score in the first 10 minutes the coach should take him off.
BEAUTY
Ellis' goal was almost eclipsed in beauty a minute before half-time when Derrick Planter produced a free-kick of which David Bekham would have been proud, to draw his team level. His effort from just outside the 18-yard box floated over the wall and out of the reach of goalkeeper Alrick Henry before kissing the inside of the net.
The result was a fair one for a game which started slowly on a cool night before developing into a very good contest, which shifted from end to end.
Wilfred Smith and Ellis looked sharp up front for Seba, while Devon Hodges and Planter, like the rest of their teammates, showed that they came to play.
In the second half the pace of the game went even higher as both teams went after the go-ahead goal. Smith spun and shot wide just three minutes into the half and six minutes later Ellis side-footed another volley straight at substitute goalkeeper Moshell Nelson.
Kemar Mills and Patrick Beech entered the game in the second half and added more bite to the Rivoli attack. Within minutes of entering the game, Mills blasted an excellent opportunity high from inside the 18-yard box.
ATTACK AFTER ATTACK
Both teams continued to throw attack after attack at each other without much success even though Beech had a 40-yard drive in the 76th minute rebound off keeper Henry and played out for a corner. Seba player coach Norman Foster had a free-kick tipped onto the bar in the 85th minute.
"I am a bit disappointed because I saw where we got a number of chances and could have buried Rivoli today but I guess the players just did not really step up to the task," said Foster after the game.
He did give credit to Rivoli for the fight they showed, but insisted his team deserved to win.
Rivoli's Calvert Fitzgerald said that it took two weeks of intense training to get his players at the level they played yesterday.
"When I got the side the fitness was on the floor. We want to stay in the league so we have to be determined, we have to train hard and I think it (the work) showed today," said Fitzgerald, adding that Beech and Mills came off the bench because they are not fit enough to start as yet.
GOALSHEET
SEBA UNITED 1
Delroy Ellis - 6th
RIVOLI UNITED 1
Derrick Planter - 44th
RENO 0
PORTMORE UNITED 0
