Goals from George Vernal and Peter Keyes in each half carried Boys’ Town to a 2-0 win over arch-rivals Arnett Gardens in their Digicel Premier League south St Andrew derby at Collie Smith Drive yesterday.

The win was the third in the last four matches for the Andrew Price-coached Red Brigade, which put them on 33 points and lift them one place into third above St George’s who went down to Rivoli 0-2 in their fixture at the Spanish Town Prison Oval.

In other results, Sporting Central Academy blanked August Town 2-0 at Brancourt, while Harbour View maintained their lead after clipping champions Tivoli Gardens 1-0 at the Edward Seaga Complex

Meanwhile, Arnett’s miserable run continued as they were losing their fourth straight game.

In a lacklustre first-half, only Vernal’s 32nd minute free-kick, which deflected off a defender, separated the teams as both struggled to break down each other’s defence.

However, the game came to life in the second-half when Arnett’s Lennox Creary came close with a vicious shot from inside the area after he broke through in the ninth minute.

In the 16th minute, Kwame Richardson should have equalised for Arnett, but with only Kirk Porter to beat, the veteran striker slammed the ball straight at the goalkeeper from point-blank range.

Keyes had a great chance to extend the lead for the hosts with his first touch when he came into the game on the hour mark, but his tame shot failed to really bother Damion Hyatt in goal.

Kevin King then glanced a header just wide of the upright from a free-kick moments later as Arnett edged closer.

Immediately after Keyes broke loose again and forced Hyatt into turning his shot around the post for a corner in the 63rd minute.

From the resulting kick, the speedy forward got ahead of Hyatt to head the ball, which flew up before dipping under the crossbar and over the line.

The goal seemed to have knocked the fight out of the ‘Junglists’ and only Richardson kept up the offensive fight and came close when his 78th minute free-kick whistled past the upright.

Vernal missed a hat-trick of chances — one a sitter from close up.

Keyes also wasted two great chances, but he was unfortunate to see his effort come back off the crossbar from six yards in the closing minutes.

Boys Town’s coach Price said it was good to end the year on a winning note.

“We always say that we have to get three points at home, so we came out in a business-like fashion and dealt with the game efficiently,” he said.

Arnett player/coach Fabian Davis said he was pleased with his team’s display, but lamented the missed chances.

“The only difference in this game is that Boys’ Town put way thier chances… we created as many chances as they, and if we had put away those chances, we would have had a good chance of winning the game,” he said.

Teams:

Boys Town — Kirk Porter, Daemion Benjamin, Xavian Virgo, Asrick Samuels, Shawn McKoy, Michael Campbell, George Vernal, Dwayne Ford (Nathan Wyatt 85th), Romondo Johnson, Shane Edwards (Peter Keyes 60th), Andrew Wheeler (Anthony Bennett 70th).

Subs not used: F Watkins, J Bailey, P Crumbie, O McDonald.

Booked: Keyes (63rd), Bennett (81st).

Arnett Gardens — Damion Hyatt, Williams Richards, Courtney Reid, Rasheede Clarke, Kwame Richardson, Gerald Neil, Cornel Chin-Sue (Oneil Robinson 74th), Kevin King (Jermaine Grey 85th), Lennox Creary (Leon Strickland 60th), Michael Russell, Rohan Reid.

Subs not used: D McKinley, N Collins.

Booked: Chin-Sue (26th), R Reid (29th).

Referee: Oneal Clayton

Assistant: Dwight Morgon & Lloyd Reader

Fourth Official: Tariq Parchment

Match Commissary: Andrew Payne