BEFORE taking the field for their home match against Tivoli Gardens at Anthony Spaulding Sport Complex on Sunday, Boys' Town made a pledge to stay close to the Red Stripe Premier League leaders. They delivered by beating the visitors, 2-0.

The facile victory moved the Collie Smith Drive outfit up a spot to second in the league on 15 points. Playing as though their lives depended on it, Boys' Town went ahead in the 29th minute through frontman Rafiek Thomas.

It was a goal for which goalkeeper Edsel Scott should take responsibility as he failed to get his body behind a powerful, low shot and allowed the ball to escape his grasp.

Even so, Tivoli Gardens, who were playing some good football before the goal, continued to create openings down the right side, but their finishing was untidy, to say the least.

Shawn McKoy, the former Boys' Town left-side player, outran the opponents' defence but waste his good work by failing to deliver a telling pass.

Their best chance, however, came just before the break when, with an empty goal at his mercy, Jamie Robinson hurried his shot and struck the ball wide of its mark, with goalkeeper Kirk Porter in no-man's land.

Both teams returned for the second session pumped up and on the hunt for goals. By the 70th Tivoli had made their final change and continued to look the better team.

Yet it was Boys' Town who looked the more purposeful as they brought on Khalil Johnson to replace Thomas who eight minutes later honoured his coach's confidence with the second goal.

Boys' Town — Kirk Porter, Hugh Evans, Carlos Wright, Wayne Ellis, Asrick Samuels (Joel Williams 87th), Daemon Benjamin, Marvin Morgan, Marvin Stewart, Michael Campbell (Garfield Gillespie 79th), Romeo Parkes, Refiek Thomas (Khalil Johnson 72)

Subs not used: L Goffe, K Binns, N McMorris, A Bennett,

Booked: None

Tivoli Gardens — Edsel Scott, Kemar Flemmings, Ranike Anderson, Barrington Pryce, Raymond Williamson, Shawn McKoy, Keithy Simpson, Akeem Thenstead (Nicholas Scott 65th), Dane Kelly, Jermaine Allen (Lennox Creary 70th), Jamie Robinson (Christopher Jackson 48th)

Subs not used: R Clarke, D Gordon, D Garrison, F Campbell

Booked: None

Referee: Courtney Campbell

Assistants: Lloyd Edwards, Damion Williams

Fourth Official: Kevin Thomas

Match Commissary: Garfield McDonald