Wanderers squander opportunity to beat McCook's Pen

Anthony Minott, Gleaner Writer

Leaders McCook's Pen were held 1-1 by joint third-place team Wanderers in The Captain's Bakery & Grill St Catherine FA Division One match at the Passagefort playing field on Thursday.

The draw saw McCook's Pen inch up to 16 points, three ahead of Royal Lakes, who were idle. Wanderers moved to 12 points and are now caught in a three-way tie (on points) for third with Waterford (12), who ambushed Passagefort United 2-0 in Waterford. Passagefort remained on 12 points. In another game, Treadways and Lluidas Vale drew 1-1.

Jermaine Henry put McCook's Pen in the lead in the 10th minute. However, Wanderers' Delroy Small cancelled Henry's strike at the half-hour mark.

The second half was quite enterprising with home team, Wanderers, creating more chances but coming up empty-handed, thanks to stalwart goalkeeping by McCook's Pen custodian, Semory McCalla, with good saves that kept the game level.

Wanderers' Small was guilty of missing three chances in the second half. He had the easiest chance of the match, but with the goalie out of position, he delayed and McCalla recovered to save the day for his team.

At the other end, Damion Welllington and Odane Newman came close to steal an away win for McCook's Pen but both shot off the mark.

Wanderers' coach, Tyrone Roberts, was very disappointed.

very disappointed

"All season this (poor shooting) has been plaguing us. We are not scoring the goals to win the games. We played well to win the games but we aren't winning the games, we are playing selfish, we are not defending well, we give up a number of soft goals. This team, I don't know what to make of them at this moment," a bitter Roberts said.

Aaron Lawrence, coach of McCook's Pen, said: "It is a fair result whenever you go out and play an away game and get a point, it is balanced. The first 45 minutes of the game we tried to score three goals, but that didn't work out so we had to draw for Plan B and play a more defensive role in the second half. We defended stoutly and got a point."