Members of the Meadhaven Under-20 football team celebrate after defeating Tivoli Gardens 3-2 in the Supligen/KSAFA Under-20 league competition's final at Barbican on Saturday. - photos by ricardo makyn/staff photographer Robert Bailey, Freelance Writer
Defending champions Meadhaven United successfully retained the Supligen/Kingston and St. Andrew Football Association (KSAFA) Under-20 George Thompson Trophy, following an exciting 3-2 victory over Tivoli Gardens on Saturday at the Barbican field.
In a rematch of the previous week's Under-20 KO final in which Meadhaven beat Tivoli 3-2, Meadhaven got off to a dream start as Dwayne Smith scored in the fifth minute when he rose above three Tivoli defenders to head home a well-placed cross from Keammar Daley.
Second goal
Five minutes later Norman Bailey came close to scoring Meadhaven's second goal of the half, but with goalkeeper Robert Williams at hismercy, he shot wide from point-blank range.
His team paid for that miss at the 41st minute when Jermaine Allen gave Tivoli the equaliser. He volleyed home a powerful right-footed shot which went like a rocket past Wayne Walker, as the half ended 1-1.
On the resumption Meadhaven, whose coach David Hunt was absent from the game, came out looking much the better team and were rewarded in the 51st minute when national Under 20 representative Robert Palmer headed home a corner kick from Daley past custodian Jason Samuels to make it 2-1.
Ten minutes later, the West Kingston team was reduced to 10 when Robert Williams was sent off for a reckless tackle on Dwayne Williams.
Despite this, Tivoli fought back and Kemar Flemming scored the equaliser in the 64th minute when he fired home from the penalty spot to make it 2-2.
Substitute Kemal Malcolm sealed victory for Meadhaven in the 80th minute when he fired past Samuels. Lijyasu Simms, the assistant coach of Meadhaven, was delighted.
Hard fought game
"I think it was a hard fought game," said Simms. "I think that this was a well deserved victory for the players.
"My players stuck to the task because if you notice we brought on Malcolm and he scored the winner because I knew that out of nothing he could make something for us," said Simms.
Christopher Burnett, coach of Tivoli Gardens, said indiscipline cost his team.
"I think that indiscipline cost us the game. I told the players before the game that playing in a final against a good team like Meadhaven all you need to do is just to keep the composure, keep a calm head and don't commit any unnecessary fouls, but they didn't listen and that was what cost us the game."
He added: "We made two changes in the second half by bringing in a forward and a midfield player and it did work for us because we got a penalty, but we were reduced to nine men because of injury and the player picked up a red and that was what cost us the third goal."
| Meadhaven | 3 |
Dwayne Smith 5th Robert Palmer 51st Kemal Malcolm 80th Tivoli | 2 |
Jermaine Allen 41st Kemar Flemming 64th |
