Defending champions Tivoli Gardens rallied back to their familiar spot atop this season's Digicel Premier League after tagging Humble Lions 2-0 in a rescheduled encounter at Effortville Community Centre yesterday.
Tivoli, who entered the match two points behind the previous leaders St Georges (29 pts), got first-half goals from their strike pair of Owen Powell and captain Navion Boyd that lifted them to 30.
Humble Lions were second best for the first half, but they played with heart and according to Technical Director Anthony Pringle, they deserved to get on the scoresheet. They remain in 11th place on 12 points.
Celebrating
While Tivoli were celebrating their climb in the standings, Harbour View stayed second on 29 points but with a superior goal difference to St Georges, after a lousy 0-0 draw against the resurgent Sporting Central Academy at Brancourt.
The point earned by Sporting was their sixth in four matches since the start of this round, but importantly inched their overall tally to 16, the same as Rivoli of St Catherine.
Not many chances were created but the better openings came for Sporting, including the easiest opportunity to score midway the second half when Jevaughn Watson got behind Dicoy Williams. But his expertly carved cross away from goalkeeper Dwayne Miller to the far side was met by a lame effort from François Swaby.
Despite a flurry of activity by Jermaine Hue in the last 10 minutes, Harbour View's forwards were largely missing in action, leaving coach Donavon Hayles to admit being grateful for the final scoreline.
Mild satisfaction
"We were away from home and given the conditions, the team stood up and fight," Hayles told The Gleaner. Despite dropping five possible points in two games, he expressed mild satisfaction that the point earned ensured the leaders were still within reach, especially that they will next face struggling August Town at Compound.
"The feeling is ok and we're still within just one win of the leaders. We have to use this game as a springboard against August Town."
Meanwhile, a livid Sporting Central coach Donovan Duckie hurried his interview and was later overheard heaping 'choiced' lamentations on his team. He decried the way they continued to dominate teams and not take advantage of better scoring opportunities.