Reno score first win at home

Dalton Laing, Gleaner Writer

Reno came from a two-nil deficit to carve out an exciting 3-2 win over Village United - their first of the season in nine tries - at their home ground, Frome Sports Complex, Westmoreland, in a midweek Red Stripe Premier League football fixture yesterday afternoon.

Both teams started the 16th- round match poorly, but Reno were the first to suffer from careless use of the ball in their defensive third.

First, Dino Williams in the ninth minute, and then Ronaldo Rodney in the 13th, scored to give Trelawny team Village United a 2-0 lead.

The early setback caused Reno to shift focus and they gradually turned their form around as they stepped up the pace.

Before the break, captain Nicholy Finlayson cracked home a second-attempt chance for Reno, to score at the 36th minute and bring some hope to the home team with the deficit cut in half at 2-1.

Spectacular equaliser

After the break, an energised Reno continued to force the pace and made their offensive dominance count when Renario Downswell, with his back to the goal, equalised at the 63rd minute with a spectacular bicycle kick, which stunned the Village United aggregation and injected wild celebrations, with the scores now tied 2-2.

Reno continued their onslaught and went ahead five minutes later when Finlayson scored his second goal - one that proved to be the game-winner as they held the 3-2 margin to the end.

Michael Graham, assistant coach for Reno, said this win at Frome brought about a "sigh of relief", and they will be using their first winning result at home this season to drive forward. Reno, who started the day third from bottom, now have 19 points, while Village stayed rooted to the cellar on 11 points.