COACH of Boys’ Town, Andrew Price, lamented his team’s finishing on Wednesday after a 52nd-minute grounder from Rivoli United’s Devon Powell condemned the Red Brigade to a 0-1 defeat in their Digicel Premier League match at the Spanish Town Prison Oval.

“We didn’t play with any imagination and despite that we got numerous chances. It’s the age-old problem that Boys’ Town have had the entire season — not converting chances. We thoroughly dominated the game and got numerous chances and there was no composure in front of the goal,” he said.

However, Rivoli’s assistant coach Oniel Thomas praised his players’ tactical execution as being the main reason for them snatching all three points, despite at times being starved of possession against their Collie Smith Drive opponents.

“Over the years we normally played a very good passing game. Now we’re working out the game tactically and the players are delivering.

“The past couple games we have allowed the (other) team to do the passing and we made a barrier between the other team and us and they can’t penetrate it,” Thomas stated.

Rivoli now move up to sixth place with the same number of points as Sporting Central’s 29, but the Spanish Town-based team is ahead, thanks to a higher goalscoring count. Boys’ Town, however, remain fourth on 38 points — 10 behind leaders Harbour View.

Price said though his team remains in the top four he is not certain the current cadre of players has serious ambitions of being title contenders.

“At this level, if you want to challenge for the Premier League you have to start scoring these chances. I don’t see the desire with the current crop of players that we have now.

“I’m going to have to turn to the youngsters and give them some playing time and let them go out there and give me some good energy and fight… I’m not getting any energy from the players now, (and) they don’t look hungry,” he noted.

Added Price: “It’s very frustrating as a coach, but it’s my job to get them ready and get the best team out there at all times. We have a lot of depth; we have a lot of young players and I’m going to have to start exposing them from now.”

Thomas, on the other hand, identified lack of focus as being Rivoli’s Achilles heel during what has been an inconsistent 2009-2010 campaign.

“We’re inconsistent and that has to do with the mentality of the players, but we’re working on it. Sometimes the team is playing well up to 70- 80 minutes and then there is a lapse, so we’re working on that lapse.

“We’re doing more concentration training and I think it’s working. We’re communicating much better now, but we haven’t fully turned the corner. We just want to ensure we’re not losing, and that’s the important thing, and we are getting there,” he said.

Rivoli United — Leon Goffe, Ricardo Knight, Fabian Gordon, Owen Barker, David Lewis, Lukes Soares, Valentine Gardener (Christopher Hayles 90th), Derrick Planter, Kirk Ramsay (Talmar Warren 59th), Mark Newsome (Martin King 46th), Devon Powell

Subs not used: Omar Parker, Adrian Powell, Marlon Henry, Calbert Coke

Booked: Newsome (26th), Powell (44th), Gordon (63rd) and Warren (86th)

Boys’ Town — Kirk Porter, Asrick Samuel, Wayne Ellis (Carlos Wright 28th), Daemon Benjamin, Michael Campbell, George Vernal, Anthony Bennett (Jahmiel Hardware 61st), Shawn McKoy, Romondo Johnson, Andre Wheeler, Shane Edwards (Peter Keys 70th)

Subs not used: Marvin Morgan Snr, Marvin Morgan Jnr, Philmore Crumbie, Oneil McDonald

Booked: Edwards (47th) and Wheeler (84th)

Referee: Karl Tyrell

Referee Assistants: Marc Sullivan and Keble Williams

Fourth Official: Cordella Samuels

Match Commissary: Uken Campbell.

Fitzroy Campbell of Village United (left) evades a challenge from Waterhouse’s Jermaine Anderson during Wednesday’s DPL match at Elliston Wakeland Centre in Falmouth. Village upset Waterhouse 3-0. (Photo: Paul Reid)