ARNETT Gardens and Humble Lion battled to a 1-1 draw in their first-leg semi-final match at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex yesterday to leave the tie delicately poised.

Arnett Gardens took the lead in the third minute courtesy of Andre Clennon, who rammed home a

left-footer after his initial header from a corner kick rebounded nicely into his path.

Humble Lion equalised courtesy of a penalty in the 42nd minute by Wolry Wolfe after referee Valdin Ledgister ruled handball in the box.

The second leg will be at Effortville Community Centre in Clarendon next Monday, and visiting coach Donovan Duckie was more satisfied than Jerome Waite at game’s end.

“It has to be wonderful because we take comfort in the psychological advantage, because we have beaten and drawn with them (Arnett) at Effortville and that’s where the final leg is playing,” Duckie told the Jamaica Observer.

He added: “We started the game tentatively, and we reacted poorly and conceded the goal, but tactically we were good. What we did today, we allowed them to play where we wanted them to play and I thought that was the difference.”

Arnett Gardens created more goalscoring chances and could have won the game late on. Clennon watched his delicate chip sail agonisingly wide, then substitute Kemal Malcolm’s volley from a Kenniel Hyde cross was cleared off the line in the dying moments.

“The game was physical and the end result is not a true reflection of the game. The Humble Lion team didn’t have much to offer offensively. It was an opportunity where we created chances upon chances, but we need to be more disciplined going forward,” noted Waite.