MAY PEN, Clarendon — Arnett Gardens will meet Montego Bay United in the final of the Red Stripe Premier League (RSPL) following a 3-2 victory over Humble Lion in the second-leg of their semi-final at the Effortville Community Centre on Monday night.

Marvin Morgan scored the winning goal in the 82nd minute to give the ‘Junglists’ a 4-3 victory on aggregate.

Arnett, the preliminary round champions, had earlier taken 1-0 and 2-1 leads on the night, courtesy of goals from Vishinul Harris and Jabeur Johnson, only to see Humble Lion roar back on each occasion with efforts from Wolry Wolfe (penalty) and Ricardo Cousins.

“It was a very good tactical game,” said the Arnett Coach Jerome Waite. “And we have to give credit to Humble Lion; they really put up a fight.

“But seeing that this was basically a final, we knew that we had to win. So we really had no choice but to go all out. And it was a big performance from the players.”

Having relinquished the psychological advantage from the first leg, following a 1-1 stalemate at the Anthony Spaulding Complex, Arnett knew they had to be the aggressors in the second leg. And that’s exactly how they started — showing no respect to their hosts.

The game was still in its embryonic stage when Leon Strickland volleyed a shot onto the crossbar. And it was only 22 minutes old when Harris scored the opener.

The lanky defender was cut down on the edge of the penalty area, and, showcasing skills that the now retired Harbour View midfielder Jermaine Hue would be proud of, he brushed himself off to beat Humble Lion goalkeeper Damion Crooks with a lofted free kick over the wall.

Not yet settled into a rhythm, Humble Lion were in need of a lifeline. When they got it on 43 minutes, it was from a familiar source and a familiar route, as Wolfe slotted the equaliser from the penalty spot.

To the naked eye, it appeared as if the foul on Kemeel Wolfe was committed outside the box, which led many to wonder aloud if the referee was actually compensating Humble Lion for an earlier penalty appeal that he had waved off.

But if the penalty was a gift, Humble Lion surely had a nice way of showing gratitude. Just three minutes later they were trailing again. Crooks had tipped a looping header over the bar, and from the resulting corner Johnson swept home a rebounded effort, low and hard.

Yet Humble Lion would soon restore parity. This time, it was Cousins who gave them a second lifeline, latching onto to a Devon Hodges pass in the 49th minute to unleash a miserable long-ranged shot past Arnett goalkeeper Damion Hyatt.

What Donovan Duckie’s side has achieved this season is truly remarkable. One minute they were in the relegation zone; the next they are rubbing shoulders with the big boys. But the manner in which they ultimately surrendered this tie, it will take a while for the Effortville faithful to truly appreciate their heroics.

Garice McPherson, their reserve goalkeeper, had replaced a seemingly incapacitated Damion Crooks midway the second half. A former Premier League winner with Portmore United, McPherson is a goalkeeper with international experience — having spent time in and out of the Reggae Boyz set-up. But the way in which he conceded the winner, you wouldn’t have guessed it.

Even Marvin Morgan, looking at the replay void of the euphoria, wouldn’t be too proud of his shot. Nine times out of 10, a 13-year-old Garice would most likely save it. As tame as a house cat; that’s how dangerous the shot was. Yet it somehow managed to defeat McPherson, creeping under his prostrate body.

Though clearly limping from this latest injury, Humble Lion roared on.

But this was the type of game that’s been seen many times before. And Arnett, glancing at Montego Bay United with one eye, weren’t about to give their hosts a third lifeline. Big kicks up field and the usual gamesmanship was how it would play out.

Then referee Karl Tyrell, mirroring the Arnett Gardens congregation in the away dugout, elevated his arms to the sky and whistled away Humble Lion’s hopes of making a maiden appearance in the Red Stripe Premier League final.