When two of Jamaica’s fiercest football rivals met on Sunday it wasn’t a case of them battling for top honours, they had two different missions.

Defending champions Tivoli Gardens were fighting to retain their Digicel Premier League (DPL) title, while Arnett Gardens were fighting just to stay in it.

Two distinct missions, one result — a 1-0 win for Tivoli Gardens, courtesy of a Navion Boyd 38th-minute penalty.

While Tivoli Gardens were notching their 15th win from 25 games to stay second on 48 points, just three behind the leaders Harbour View, Arnett Gardens were losing their 12th match and are firmly at the bottom on 23 points, four behind the 11th-placed team Village United.

Last year Tivoli Gardens defeated Arnett Gardens 1-0 to lift the DPL title on the last day on goal difference and have now won two of their three meetings with the other ending in a draw.

The champions were in no mood to show any love to their wounded rivals on Valentine’s Day at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex, and quickly went on the attack.

National players Keammar Daley and Navion Boyd returned from international duty and had Arnett on the back foot early.

Arnett’s goalkeeper Julian McLeish, who returned from Tivoli Gardens in the January transfer window, was called upon to make two brilliant saves in the first 10 minutes, and the visiting team deservedly took the lead when Arnett defender Lennox Creary pulled down Daley in the box.

Referee Karl Tyrell had no hesitation in pointing to the spot and Boyd easily converted, sending McLeish the wrong way in the 38th minute.

But Arnett, to their credit, came out fighting in the second half and actually dominated proceedings after coach Wayne Fairclough introduced Leon Strickland, Fabian Davis and Cornel ChinSue.

They raided the Tivoli area from ground and air balls, especially with the towering Newton Sterling working in tandem with Kevin Wilson, but Tivoli Gardens held firm for a crucial away win to keep their title hopes alive, while Arnett Gardens slumped to yet another defeat and remained winless in their last 12 games.

TEAMS: Arnett Gardens — Julian McLeish, William Richards, Gerald Neil, Rasheede Clarke, Lennox Creary, Dennis McKinley, Oneil Robinson (Fabian Davis 63rd), Kevin King (Cornel ChinSue 70th), Jermaine Gray (Leon Strickland 50th), Kevin Wilson, Newton Sterling.

Subs not used: Nicholas Anderson, Leighton Murray, Dwayne Plummer, Craig Whyte

Booked: Creary (37th), Richards (60th), Clarke (64th).

Tivoli Gardens — Edsel Scott, Kasai Hinds, Rupert Murray, Irvino English, Kemar Flemmings, Jerry Walters, Jermaine Ricketts, Jameel Thompson, Keammar Daley (Horace Sharpe 87th), Dane Kelly (Damion Gordon 77th), Navion Boyd (Roland Dean 88th).

Subs not used: Leon Gordon, Owen Powell, Jermaine Taylor, Victor Thompson.

Booked: Murray (18th), Thompson (29th), English (63rd), Ricketts (86th).

Referee: Karl Tyrell

Assistant Referees: Ricardo Morgan, Keble Williams

Fourth Official: Tariq Parchment.

Match Commissary: Horace Lewis