DPL race wide open - Cavalier, Benfica claim crucial wins

André Lowe, Senior Staff Reporter

Corporate Area champions Cavalier made a huge step towards Digicel Premier League promotion, after a hard-fought and slightly fortuitous 2-1 victory over leaders Reno, in the Jamaica Football Federation Confederation play-off series at the UWI Bowl yesterday afternoon.

A third-minute strike from Julian Nugent and another from Oneal Morrison in minute 79 sealed the victory for Cavalier, who had to endure some last-minute anxieties after Reno's Craig Foster bundled in a goal two minutes before the end of regulation time.

In truth, the hosts were outplayed by their Westmoreland rivals in rainy conditions, particularly in the second half, but still managed to hold on for all three points and, in the process, join Reno on seven points with two rounds left to be played.

In the other game, St Thomas' Benfica joined St Catherine's Meadows on four points to leave the competition wide open after a 2-0 blanking at Drax Hall.

Derron Jackson opened the scoring with a 27th-minute penalty while Ricardo Scott added another in the 87th minute.

Cavalier could not have asked for a better start as Nugent was played through behind the Reno backline before calmly placing his shot beyond the goalkeeper, Dennis Taylor, after only three minutes had been played.

The host team did precious little afterwards and totally surrendered the midfield, with Reno dominating possession and dictating the pace of the game.

Reno almost found themselves on level terms in the 50th minute, but Kenroy Hutchinson's header from inside the penalty area was brilliantly saved on the line by defender Bernard Blackwood.

The visitors continued to enjoy dominance as the Cavalier players struggled to get their feet on the ball.

In a rare foray into the Reno half, midfielder Demetrio Billet struck a 20-yard free kick hard and low to the near post, but goalkeeper Taylor got down in time to make the save.

Reno continued to knock on the door but there was no joy for the visitors or their travelling supporters.

And when Nugent settled the affair against the run of play, with time running out, the writing was on the wall.

Nugent's chance was created after some good work from substitute Donovan Alveranga, who dismissed three Reno defenders during a lung-busting run down the right hand side before playing the ball back to Nugent at the penalty box.

Nugent then side-footed the ball into the net to send the partisan crowd in raptures.

Nervous finish

Reno ensured a nervous finish as Foster got boot to ball in the 88th minute after the Cavalier defence failed to deal with a deep cross into their penalty area.

Reno's coach, Michael Graham, was disappointed with the result, but took heart from his team's second-half showing.

"When you miss easy chances like the ones we got here today that will always come back and haunt you," said Graham. "We have to get maximum points from the remaining games and that's what we will be looking for. What we did in the second half we expected it from the first, we got a goal and should have scored three more."

Cavalier's Lamar Morgan was happy with the win and is already looking forward to Wednesday's key clash against Meadows at Ferdie Neita Park in Portmore.

"Credit must be given to the Reno team, they played well. But our team came out and stuck to the task, knowing that it was a must-win game. There are still areas that we need to work on such as the work in the middle of the field," Morgan said. "We will have to focus for our next game, it's going to be tough."