Ryon Jones, Staff Reporter

The third-round Red Stripe Premier League clash between old rivals Tivoli Gardens and Harbour View was packed with drama, as the teams played out a 2-2 draw yesterday at the Edward Seaga Sports Complex.

Veteran Jermaine Hue shone brightest for the Stars of the East, as he scored both of his team's goals in the 67th and 87th minutes to cancel out strikes from Tivoli's Nicholas Scott (21st) and Davion Garrison (90+2).

A feature of the game was goalkeeping errors, which resulted in the first goal in the 17th minute when Harbour View's custodian Ashek Taylor dwelled on a back pass from his captain Montrose Phinn, resulting in Scott charging down his attempted clearance, which rebounded into the goal.

Tivoli best first half

Harbour View immediately went in search of the equaliser and appeared to have had a good shot for a penalty in the 25th minute, as Eric Vernan's shot was blocked by keeper Deron Duncan from point blank range. Vernan seemed to have been fouled in the area while attempting to retrieve the rebound, but he was cautioned by referee Dwight Royal for what was interpreted to be a 'dive'.

Tivoli had the better of play in the first half, but the tide turned eight minutes into the second half, as Scott was ejected by Royal for serious foul play following his challenge on Vernan.

Harbour View immediately started making use of the space and got a foothold in the game. It, however, took a blunder by Tivoli's keeper, Duncan, in the 67th minute for Harbour View to find an equaliser, as he failed to hold a 25-yard effort from Hue, which flew straight to him at chest height.

"Once we went down to 10 men, you cannot compete the right way against a quality team like Harbour View," Tivoli's coach Glendon 'Admiral' Bailey reasoned. "Once we went short, you notice they started to spread the ball on us and had us chasing.

"But we showed character ... and the substitution paid off," he added.

Hue would give his team the lead in the 87th minute in uncharacteristic fashion, as he headed home his third goal in as many matches, following a good cross by Jaron Richards from the right flank.

The second minute of stoppage time saw another costly mistake by Taylor, as he spilled a free kick - which was fired across the face of goal by Fitzroy Campbell - for second-half substitute Garrison to pop up on the back post and tap in.

"I am very disappointed. The first goal, we gave them a gift, and we came back and gave them a gift with one minute of the game left to go," Harbour View's coach, Vin Blaine, stated.

"It is the same thing that happened last game when we gave away a goal. It is ridiculous," he added.

ryon.jones@gleanerjm.com

Yesterday's results