MBU rally to clip Arnett 2-1
TUCKER, St James — Former champions Montego Bay United (MBU) came from a goal down to hand Arnett Gardens their first loss in the Jamaica Premier League at WesPow Park, while promoted Faulkland FC earned their first point with a 2-2 draw against Tivoli Gardens on Sunday.
It was a good day for fans of the St James-based club as their team took three points with the 2-1 victory right before the league takes a break for the Fifa World Cup and is set to resume on December 21.
MBU’s win, thanks to two stupendous goals in the final 17 minutes plus time added on, took them to second place, tied on 10 points with leaders and defending champions Harbour View, while Arnett Gardens slipped to third on seven points.
MBU are two points shy of equaling their total number of points from last season when they returned to the competition.
Despite an even first half, it was Arnett Gardens who got the two best scoring chances in the first half, but MBU’s goalkeeper Davonnie Burton was equal to both in the 28th and 39th minutes.
Arnett took the lead in the 50th minute when Ajuma Johnson finally got past Burton and MBU had to wait until the 73rd minute when a superb freekick from Donovan Brown who came off the bench in the second half, flew past Arnett Gardens’ goalkeeper Eric Edwards’ outstretched right hand.
MBU completed the come back deep into time added when Nevaun Turner volleyed a rebound back past Edwards who had managed to punch a wickedly curling free kick out of his goal.
In the first game, Faulkland FC ended a three-game losing skid with a gutsy display against Tivoli Gardens.
After a dull start, the game exploded with three goals in a two-minute span late in the first half.
Justin Dunn gave Tivoli Gardens the lead in the 35th minute when he converted a penalty kick after Michael McLoud handled the ball in his own area.
Faulkland FC responded almost immediately when Enrique Gordon responded quickest to a blocked shot from goalkeeper Nicholas Clarke and punched it home at the left post in the 36th minute.
Tivoli Gardens responded in almost another minute when Diego McKenzie restored their lead in the 37th minute, silencing the home crowd.
Lodrick Haughton should have equalised for Faulkland FC in the 53rd minute when he was sent through and had Clarke at his mercy but his shot, aimed at the low left hand corner was not strong enough and the goalkeeper got a hand to it and deflected it over the crossbar for a corner.
Shannoy Anderson, who replaced Rodcliff Dawkins in the 65th minute, was well-positioned and unmarked at Clarke’s left post and tapped in a cross from about two yards out to level the scores.
— Paul Reid