Waterhouse snuff Hazard’s fire
TEN-MAN Waterhouse surprised leaders, Hazard, 1-0 in the National Premier League at Ferdie Neita Park yesterday.
In other results, Teofore Bennett’s hat trick gave Village United a shock 4-1 win over Constant Spring in the latter’s backyard.
After former national striker, Oneil McDonald, had given the home team a fifth-minute lead, Dwayne Cole equalised for the Trelawny side in the 34th before Bennett unleashed his fury in an aggressive second-half display, scoring in the 50th, 62nd and 87th minutes.
At Harbour View, the home team blanked struggling Duhaney Park 2-0 with goals from Fabian Taylor (third) and Dino Williams (78th).
At Ferdie Neita, Roberto Fletcher scored in the second minute of play to continue his team’s resurgence in the third round of the league bringing their total points tally to 33.
“We came for three points and we got it … I knew we could do it,” said a victorious Waterhouse coach, Calvert Benjamin.
Despite playing a man short for most of the game, Waterhouse desperately clung to their one-goal advantage with sturdy defending.
In the 37th minute, referee Victor Stewart was forced to show the red card to defender, Tafari O’Connor, for a vicious tackle on Hazard wing-back, Ryan Powell.
Hazard, in their hunt for the equaliser, took over possession as Waterhouse pulled most of their players back leaving only one player upfront.
Kevin Deerr, in particular, had two early efforts, but his low shots went wide of the rectangle.
“Attackingly we didn’t play any ball today; our head space wasn’t there … we didn’t have a player who could step up and win the match for us,” mourns losing coach, Lenny Hyde.
In the 12th minute, Waterhouse almost made it 2-0, when Kevin Lamey rifled towards goal but watched his effort blocked by the outstanding Shawn Sawyers in goal.
Fifteen minutes later, Irvino English’s dangerous curling freekick was helped ober the horizontal by Sawyers, but only just.
Three second half substitutes by Hazard brought the Clarendon side alive but they could not find a way through as they hustled for the equaliser.
Midfielder, Christopher Dawes’ 65th-minute grounder was little bother to custodian, Loxley Reid, who promptly smothered the threat.
Fletcher registered when he headed home a right-sided corner by English from point blank range giving the usually acrobatic Sawyers absolutely no chance.
In the earlier game, Hazard’s Under-21s were on the winning end, defeating their counterparts 2-0 with goals from Carlton Young and Kameel Wolfe.
HAZARD — Shawn Sawyers, Claude Davis, Derrick Smith, Ricardo Powell, Tyrone Sawyers, Christopher Dawes, Kendrie Quarrie, Carl Binger (Kirk Ramsey — halftime), Kevin Deerr (Omar Daley 66th), Andrew Morrison (Paul Young 66th) and Roen Nelson.
WATERHOUSE — Loxley Reid, Weston Forrest, Andre Hickling, Tafari O’Connor, Andrew Holloway, Kirk Campbell, Irvino English, Michael Stone, Damion Williams, Kevin Lamey (Morton Whittingham 77th) and Roberto Fletcher (Jermaine Russell 59th).