A superb free kick by Otis Friend led 10-man Sporting Central Academy to a 1-0 win over Tivoli Gardens in their Red Stripe Premier League game at the Edward Seaga Stadium, yesterday.

Clarendon-based Sporting Central were down to 10 men after Rupert Murray — who played for Tivoli Gardens for a number of years — picked up a yellow in the 43rd minute, but was later given a red card by referee Oshane Nation for insulting and using abusive language to the fourth official Daneon Parchment.

But it was the visiting Sporting Central team that took the lead courtesy of Friend, whose free kick got the better of the outstretched hands of goalkeeper Edsel Scott in the 48th minute.

It was a crucial win for Sporting Central and their third victory from eight games that saw them move to 10 points, but remained in ninth spot.

Winning coach Nigel Stewart was ecstatic for the three points, noting that his team did their homework on their opponents.

“We spoke about this Tivoli team at length during training sessions and half-time and we knew that if we come here and work hard we will come out on top,” Stewart told the Jamaica Observer.

A lethargic-looking Tivoli Gardens played without verve and style, and failed to make the extra man count. They paid the price and eventually suffered their fourth loss from nine games to be on 11 points in seventh spot.

Losing coach Alvin Shaw was clearly disappointed, watching his team create numerous chances late on, but failed to find that crucial goal for at least a share of the points.

“It is particularly disappointing because after we picked up the pace in the second half of the Waterhouse game, I was hoping it would have carried over into this game,” he pointed out.

Veteran coach Christopher Bender, in preparation for a crucial Manning Cup encounter today, brought his Camperdown High School team to watch the game, and surely the youngsters couldn’t have learnt much, except what not to do.

Meanwhile, a 52nd-minute strike from Andre Jarrett propelled Reno to a 1-0 win over Cavalier at Frome Sports Complex in another early game yesterday.

The promoted Reno, with their second consecutive win, jumped into third spot on 17 points, the same as Cavalier, who remained in second spot following their second defeat of the season.

— Howard Walker