Honours shared in Clarendon derby
CLARENDON PARK, Clarendon — Sporting Central Academy extended their winless streak in the third round of the Digicel Premier League to four games, after battling to a 1-1 draw with Humble Lion FC in their Clarendon derby at Brancourt on Sunday.
Sporting took the lead inside three minutes through Hughan Grey, but Humble Lions roared back with a goal in the 33rd minute from new boy Denzil Watson.
The point saw Sporting inching to 30 points, but are still without a win since the start of the third round. Their last victory came against Rivoli United 2-1 in the last game of the second round.
Humble Lions, who were scoring their first goal against Sporting in their four meetings this season, moved to 27. The previous meetings between the two ended 3-0 in favour of Sporting and 0-0.
With spectators still making their way in the venue, Sporting took the lead courtesy of a moment of brilliance.
Upston Edwards, one of five Under-21 players who were recently upgraded to the senior squad, made his coach appear a genius, when he opened up the Humble Lions defence with a perfectly weighted through ball from just inside his own half.
Grey latched on to the pass after beating the half-side trap with a perfectly timed run and kept his nerves to beat the advancing Shawn Sawyers to his left with a well-placed shot.
After that, the first half tapered off into an ugly affair and never really looked like the exciting match-up it was billed to be, as there were more players falling to the ground than passes and goal-mouth action.
Humble Lions, playing without their injured captain Kevin Mighty, struggled against their younger counterparts and never really had a clear look at goal, until the 33rd minute when two of their new signings — Roberto Fletcher and Denzil Watson — combined to good effect.
Fletcher, formerly of Waterhouse FC, dismissed his man down the right side then sent in the perfect cross, which left the entire Sporting Central defensive unit stone dead.
Watson, who by this time was darting into the box, outjumped his marker to head pass Andre Blake for his fourth goal of the season — two for Harbour View and two for his new club — all of which came from headers.
The equalising goal immediately brought the game to life as both teams went for the tie-breaker, but it wasn’t to be.
Teams:
Sporting Central Academy — Andre Blake, Keithy Simpson, Upston Edwards, Levaughn Williams, Christopher Banner, Camaal Reid, Kadian Wynter, Jamoly Powell (Jevaughn Watson, 56th), Alanzo Adlam (Francois Swaby, 60th), Damarly Samuels (Karl Wigan, 47th), Hughan Grey.
Subs not used: Jacomeno Barrett, Akeem Annakie, Gregory Lewis, Marlon Allen.
Booked: Wynter (53rd), Wigan (64th)
Humble Lion FC — Shawn Sawyers, Damian Barrett (Loxley Thomas, 82nd), Rohan Williams (Errol Wilkie, 61st), Roberto Fletcher, Phillip Fearon, Omando McLeod (Omar Walters, 61st), Ricardo Campbell, Jeffery Baker, Kirk Duckworth, Zico Herrera, Denzil Watson.
Subs not used:, Owen Gordon, Phillip Peddie, Sean Coleman, Sheldon Brown
Booked: Campbell (12th), Duckworth (20th), Barrett (82nd), Herrera (92nd)
Referee: Courtney Campbell
Assistant Referees: Stacy-Ann Greyson and Lloyd Reader Fourth Official: Cardella Samuels Match Commissary: Dudley Powell