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Tivoli Gardens denied St
George’s Sport Club a part of history, when they beat the
first-time finalist 2-0 to win the Digicel Premier League (DPL)
first end-of-round final at the National Stadium yesterday.
Navion Boyd gave the corporate area side the lead after 23
minutes and Keammar Daley sealed the win with a ckeeky goal two
minutes from time.
Winning coach Lenworth Hyde said after taking a 1-0 lead into
the interval he know they had to come at them to get a goal and
that worked in their favor.
“St George’s put up a spirited performance, they played well.
But last year we went to the same end-of-round final and we
lost, so it’s good we could cop it this season,” he stated.
His counter-part, Braxton Hyre, said it was a good display by
his team but with a little more luck things could have turned
out different
“Congrat to Tivoli I think their team played well in the
first-half and we were better in the second-half...
“But tactically I knew they would allow us to come at them after
they scored. But we created a lot of chances and did not
capitalize on them,” he added.
Tivoli controlled the first-half tempo and 10 minutes into the
contest Daley tested goalkeeper Randal Huie with a thunderous
effort from 30 yards out.
Under-21 striker, Owen Powell, who got the nod to replace the
injured Roland Dean, had a glorious opportunity to put Tivoli
infront after 17 minutes.
However, he put his effort wide of an empty goal from four yards
after a precise cross from Jameel Thompson.
St George’s topscorer, Damion Hardwood almost gave his team the
lead against the runner of play in the 19 minute, but his header
crashed against the crossbar from Dwayne Holmes’ corner.
Daley then responded for the west-Kingston team with a curling
free-kick that just missed the target a minute later.
Tivoli then took the lead in the 23 minute of play, when Ricardo
Taylor was judge to have handle to ball inside the box, after
Daley cross found Powell in a dangerous position.
Boyd slammed home the free-kick to put his team ahead.
But while, Tivoli controlled the play for the first-half, St
George’s came out and dictated the pace for the second-half.
Five minutes after the break, Nigel Reid should have equalized
for but he put his effort wide of the goal from three yards,
with goalkeeper Edsel Scott out of position.
Five minutes later, the ever-dangerous Harwood had the ball in
the net, but he was ruled offside after he headed home Ricardo
Taylor’s cross.
As St George’s continue to push their opponents on the
defensive, Reid went down under a challenge from Thompson inside
the area, but referee Raymond Bogle waived off all appeals for a
penalty.
Leon Irving also came close with a low drive that forced Scott
to scramble to make a save.
Then with two minutes remaining, Daley sealed the win for the
Lenworth Hyde-coached team.
The talented attacker broke loose on a counter-attack from
midfield, and with only Huie to beat crafty striker calmly
chipped the ball over the advancing custodian to secure the win.
Horace Sharpe could have added another goal late in the game,
but he arrived a bit late to finish off Boyd’s well measured
pass to the back-post.
Tivoli, who lost at this stage last season, took home $250.000
and the end-of-round trophy. While, St George’s pocketed
$150.000 for their efforts.
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