ARNETT Gardens muffed a chance to stay third in the Red Stripe Premier League standings after giving up a 70th-minute goal to draw 3-3 with 10-man Portmore United at Tony Spaulding Sports Complex on Sunday.

In an exciting first half in which five goals were scored, the home team twice came from behind to lead 3-2 at the break.

But despite losing Kareem Manning to a red card just before half-time, the visitors played with guts and salvaged a point through Andrew Christie’s header.

Portmore stayed second with 27 points, four behind leaders Harbour View, while Arnett slipped two places to fifth behind Waterhouse (26) and Tivoli Gardens (25) with 25.

Portmore got off to a great start when Rosario Harriott fired them into the lead after only seven minutes. However, that advantage was erased six minutes later when Kirk Ramsey replied for the home team.

But Portmore regained the lead on the half-hour mark when goalkeeper Damion Hyatt carelessly handed possession to a Portmore player on top of the box. This led to a melee in which Portmore had at least three opportunities to put the ball into the net.

After Arnett thought they had averted the danger for a throw, the ball came back into the middle to an unmarked Aldaine Grant, who slotted home from 12 yards.

Arnett restored parity seven minutes later when Ricardo Oldham’s deflected shot from the edge of the area gave Carlloyd Walters no chance.

They edged in front just before the break when Kemal Malcolm latched onto a ball over the top and crossed for Ramsey. Kemar Foster, who had replaced the injured Walters, blocked the effort, but the ball rebounded into the path of Malcolm, whose goalbound strike was deliberately handled by Manning.

Ramsey converted the resulting kick to send Arnett into the break with a 3-2 lead and Portmore a man down.

After the interval, Portmore hardly looked like they were missing a player as they kept a high intensity for the rest of the half and forced the home team into numerous errors.

They eventually pulled level when Christie rose between a host of Arnett players to glance a corner past Hyatt with 20 minutes to go.

Christie, who injured himself on the play, spent the next 10 minutes being treated on the sidelines, yet Portmore looked a well-oiled machine, while Arnett struggled to get their game together.

Although towards the end Arnett had a late spell in which they created a few chances, but they could not find the net against a disciplined Portmore outfit.

Portmore’s assistant coach Jeffrey Hewitt commended his players on a gutsy display.

“We were down a man and were behind by a goal, but we really fought back gallantly and came away with a draw,” he said.

Arnett’s coach Calvin Lewis said he knew what to expect from his former club and was disappointed not to come away with three points.

“We got off to a slow start… but we got into our own and went ahead on the stroke of half-time. But had we been more disciplined we would have come away with the three points,” he said.