Tivoli Gardens' Roland Dean celebrates scoring a goal with team captain Navion Boyd (left), during the Digicel Premier League match against Village United, at the Edward Seaga Sports Complex yesterday. - Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer.

Tivoli Gardens got back to winning ways yesterday, drubbing Village United 4-0 at the Edward Seaga Sports Complex in their seventh-round Digicel Premier League match.

Victory saw Tivoli regaining the lead as they moved to 16 points, while condemning Village to their first defeat of the season.

Previous leaders, St Georges (14), did not play because of a water-logged field at Collie Smith Drive.

The match got off to a very sprightly start for Tivoli Gardens as Roland Dean beat the offside trap to run unmolested into the box, but Village United's custodian, Ryan Cooper, pushed his effort wide. Dean was, however, not to be denied and turned in the resulting corner to give his team a 1-0 lead.

It was in the 68th minute that the game saw its next goal when Horace Sharpe broke away down the flank before getting off a shot, which beat Bennett to his far post.

Tivoli made their third of three changes in the 83rd minute when they replaced captain Navion Boyd with Owen Powell.

Inspired substitution

It turned out to be an inspired substitution as Powell hit the net with a powerful header on the stroke of full time. That made the score 3-0. He was not done yet and capitalised on some defensive hesitancy from Village to seal his brace in stoppage time and complete the rout.

Tivoli's coach Lenworth Hyde Sr had nothing but praise for the young player.

"He is a young player that just came up from the under-21, but I saw where he had potential," Hyde said. "I must pay tribute to the Village Untied team. They played a good game. The scoreline does not reflect the game, but my team played well to score four goals against a Village team that was previously unbeaten. Village United's coach, Cassman Williams, also believed that the scoreline did not reflect the game.

"I don't think the scoreline reflects the overall performance of both teams today," Williams said. "It was a good game played by both teams. A few lapses in concentration cost us some goals and the opportunities that we created, we didn't make use of them."

Following a win and five draws in their previous matches, Village remained on eight points.

Meanwhile, Waterhouse (6) registered their second consecutive win, edging newcomers Humble Lions (6) 2-1 at Waterhouse Mini Stadium yesterday.

The Drewsland team was pointless after its first five matches. Meanwhile, other scheduled matches between Rivoli United (7) and Harbour View (12) at Spanish Town Prison Oval, and Boys' Town (7) against St Georges (14) at Collie Smith Drive, were postponed as heavy afternoon rains rendered the grounds unplayable.

Tivoli Gardens' Steve Green (centre) and Village United's Ronique Francis (right) and Lavardo White make quite a splash while challenging for the ball, during the Digicel Premier League match at the Edward Seaga Sports Complex yesterday. Tivoli won 4-0. - Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer