Red Brigade clip TG in bruising derby

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

FOR coach Andrew Price, his team’s dogged resistance against tough Tivoli Gardens in Sunday’s Red Stripe Premier League match at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex was no surprise.

He believes that derbies involving his team and the champions are always going to be “hard and bruising”, and true to the script, the two clubs fought to the bitter end in a contest which saw Boys’ Town claiming victory 2-1.

“But we weathered the early storm that they put on us in the game... and in the second half we had some ascendancy, and as a result we were able to get two goals,” said Price, a former Boys’ Town defender.

In a closely and rigorously contested affair where scores were locked, the eventual victor would be the team that could find the coup de grace, and Boys’ Town found it from the bench.

“But Rafiek Thomas really came off the bench and made a difference... and that’s what we want from our substitutes,” said Price.

Boys’ Town took the lead in the highly charged contest through Marvin Stewart in the 55th minute, but Tivoli rallied through Romeo Parkes in the 67th. And when it seemed that the game was headed for a draw, which would be considered a fair result, the Red Brigade delivered the killer blow through Thomas in the 80th minute for a sweet victory.

Testimony to the abrasive nature of the contest, both teams lost players by red card. Boys’ Town saw the back of Renae Lloyd, while Tivoli had to continue without Kemar Flemming, after both players allowed their tempers to flare resulting in an exchange of blows.

Three points earned moved Boys’ Town to fourth on 39 points, the same as Tivoli who sit in third place.

After a tame start, Oneil Thompson provided the first test for any of the custodians in the 20th minute, when his powerful 30-yard free-kick had to be parried for a corner by goalkeeper Deron Duncan.

As Tivoli came into their own, they threatened minutes later when Raymond Williamson slipped a ball through for Lennox Creary, but Kirk Porter in goal was quick off his line to avert the danger.

Ten minutes after the break, Boys’ Town found the goahead goal when Stewart got across the Tivoli defence at the near post to flash home a header from Michael Campbell’s corner.

But Tivoli were on level terms soon after when the Boys’ Town defence failed to deal with a cross into the box and the ball deflected off the hand of Thompson then onto Stewart’s hands, leaving referee Valdin Legister no choice but to point to the penalty spot.

Parkes made no mistake from 12 yards.

But Boys’ Town stepped up their game a notch after the equaliser and had some good chances, the best of which fell to Thomas, who lifted over the crossbar from six yards in the 73rd minute.

However, the striker would make amends seven minutes later when he volleyed home from close-range to restore Boys’ Town’s lead.

Tivoli’s assistant coach, Alvin Shaw, said the game lived up to all expectation, except for the scoreline.

“It was a very competitive game... but they (Boys’ Town) really played with a lot of aggression and were very determined,” he said.