BOYS’ Town made a positive start to the third and penultimate round of the Digicel Premier League (DPL) with a 2-0 defeat of St George’s SC at Collie Smith Drive yesterday.

A goal on either side of the half by Anthony Bennett and Renae Lloyd unhinged a four-game winning streak for St George’s and set the platform for a more committed effort from the Red Brigade in the round.

The win has moved Boys’ Town up to 39 points on the DPL standings to move up to at least third, while St George’s remained at the bottom of the standings on 20 points.

In other results, Waterhouse and Sporting Central Academy drew 0-0 at Brancourt, and it was the same scoreline between Arnett Gardens and Village United at the Elliston Wakeland Centre.

At Collie Smith Drive, coach Andrew Price summed up the affair as “not the most attractive game on the eyes to watch”. “But we got the job done and collected the all-important three points,” he added.

Losing coach, Geoffrey Maxwell said: “I thought we lost the game before going onto the field as the time the team arrived did not allow enough of it to settle and prepare the players.”

Following a period of constant defending, St George’s broke out of their entrapment to create a scoring chance in the 28th miniute, but Oneil Brown failed to accept the moment as he poked an unhindered shot over the crossbar from on top of the six-yard box.

Failing to accept their best chance of scoring in the game, and less than 10 minutes later, Boys’ Town made the reluctant St Georges pay when Renae Lloyd found an unmarked Anthony Bennett with a ballooning pass on the left side of goal. The midfielder then beat Randall Huie with a low shot to his right.

In the 68th minute, Lloyd was on spot to tap home from close up after the St George’s defence failed to clear a dangling ball away from their goal area.

TEAMS:

Boys’ Town — Philmore Crumbie, Michael Campbell (Shane Edwards 63), Xavian Virgo, Asrick Samuels, Anthony Bennett, Wayne Ellis, Romondo Johnson, Oneil Thompson, Jamiel Hardware (Dean Thompson 83rd), Marvin Morgan (Fabian Francis 88th), Renae Lloyd.

Subs not used: K Porter, N Wyatt, K Smith, D Forde

Booked: Virgo (90th+)

St George’s — Randall Huie, Craig White, Bobby-Joe Huie, Ronike Anderson, Jermaine Taylor, Oneil Brown (Delroy James 64th), Daniel Shaw, Dwayne Holmes, Romeo Parkes (Horace James 46), Danian Reid, Dever Orgill (Damion Harwood 70th)

Subs not used: R Robinson, M Jackson, O Davis, S Oakley.

Booked: Anderson (10th), Holmes (87th)

Referee: Kevin Morrison

Assistants: Garnet Page, Lloyd Reader

Fourth Official: Carvel Banton

Match Commissary: Charles Barrett