TG’s Waite taking it one step at a time

TIVOLI GARDENS (TG) coach Jerome Waite says his team is not thinking about winning the Jamaica Premier League (JLP) title following a disappointing draw in the dying moments of their clash with Cavalier yesterday.

Goals from Barrington Pryce, Tivoli, and Orlando Russell meant that the teams had to share the spoils during the cagey encounter at the Anthony Spaulding Complex in St Andrew.

The 1-1 scoreline took Tivoli to 18 points and joint-second place with their arch-rivals Arnett Gardens.

Tivoli were left to rue missed chances when Cavalier substitute Russell neatly tucked away a low cross from down the left wing in the 90th-minute.

“A lot of people look at Tivoli as if they are title contenders. We are not looking in that direction. It’s a lot of games to play. So far we have played ten games, and we are on 18 points, so we will just continue working. The players still have a lot to learn. It is a new system, and I think they are managing it fairly well,” said Waite during an interview with The Gleaner moments after the final whistle.

Waite said that despite the disappointing result, he could still take heart from the performances of his players.

“It’s a work in progress, as you all know, based on how they performed poorly last year, it, basically, means it only can get better as the season progresses. It (Cavalier’s equaliser) comes back down to concentration, and once you lapse in concentration, that will create a problem. If players understand the basics of the game and what can create chances, we would have nullified those chances. But in the end, one chance hurt us,” Waite added.

Like his counterpart, Rudolph Speid believes his team still has a long way to go to reach their previous best.

“We had lots of opportunities, but we just can’t convert. We are just really struggling and conceding goals that we shouldn’t. I suppose this is the rough part, but credit to the players for coming back to get a draw in the end. You know, we feel a little bit better with the draw although we think we could have done better,” Speid said.

SLOPPY DEFENDING

Tivoli opened the scoring in the 42nd minute through Pryce following some sloppy defending by Cavalier.

“We are missing the chances, and when teams get chances, they are putting them away. We have to really dig deep today because we are going through a rough patch. But we are a tough team, and we fought back together, so we just have to build from here on,” he said.

However, Cavalier came out with more purpose in the second half and had the better chances despite Tivoli being wasteful at the other end.

Their resolve paid dividends in the dying moments when Russell latched on to a low cross down the left from Christopher Ainsworth.

In the day’s other matches, leaders Mount Pleasant Academy (22 points) won their game by a 2-0 scoreline over Treasure Beach (7), Dumbleholden (16) beat Humble Lion (11) 1-0, while Vere United (15) and Harbour View (8) played to a 1-1 draw. Former champions Portmore United (18) whipped Lime Hall Academy (4) 3-0 in their matchup.