LEADERS Waterhouse, down to 10 players after 17 minutes, were held to a pulsating 0-0 draw by lowly-placed Sporting Central Academy in their final first-round Red Stripe Premier League (RSPL) encounter at the Drewsland Mini Stadium on Monday night.

Despite failing to add greater distance between themselves and the rest of the chasing teams, the RSPL leaders who made a late start to their season owing to commitment elsewhere in the CFU competition, still hold a slim four-point lead at the top of the standings going into round two against Barbican in next Monday’s night game at Drewsland.

Waterhouse were condemned to play the final 73 minutes of the match with a player short following the expulsion of key central defender Nicholi Finlayson. Referee Karl Tyrell, after consulting with his senior assistant referee Keble Williams, gave Finlayson his marching orders for a “culpable incident” that took place just outside the penalty area that was being defended by Sporting Central.

Despite being a man down, Waterhouse continued to play their usual high-pressure game, but while they were never really outplayed by Sporting Central, were made to feel the pinch of being a man short, greatly reducing their scoring options.

Waterhouse should have scored at least once when the teams switched ends for the session.

The most notable was when Jermaine Anderson outdistanced the Sporting Central right side to get behind their defence to deliver a crippling cut back pass from the touchline. This opportunity was, however, allowed to go unpunished as the ever-present and hard-running Juvaune Benjamin could get only a feeble right boot to the ball that rolled gently into the hands of goalkeeper Romaine Bowers.

Sporting Central also had their moments. In one of them, in the first half, Waterhouse goalkeeper Kelso Cousins had to go full-stretch falling to his left to hold on to a crisp shot to keep his team from falling behind.

Damarley Samuels, the Waterhouse defender and captain, said afterwards: “While we did not win, I thought Waterhouse played very well with a man short. This showed the deepness of the team, as each of us put our back to the wheel and shouldered the responsibility of the void.”

Teams

Waterhouse FC — Kelso Cousins, Nicholi Finlayson, Rohan Amos, Evan Taylor, Damarley Samuels, Hughan Gray, Damion Binns, Tremaine Stewart Romario Campbell, Juvaune Benjamin (Neicko Williams 82nd), Jermaine Anderson (Adoah Nickle 62nd).

Subs not used: Richard McCallum, Oshane Roberts, Vinroy Hayles, Jamoly Powell, Upstan Edwards

Booked: Finlayson (17th-ejected), Stewart (69th), Samuels (84th)

Sporting Central — Romaine Bowers, Camaal Reid, Cory Hylton (Duhaney Williams 85th), Gregory Lewis, Francois Swaby, Kavin Bascom (Renoir Elliott 53rd), Kevon Reid (Derron McLeod 46th), Linval Lewis, Otis Friend, Rodney Witter, Rupert Murray.

Subs not used: Allien Whittaker, Andre Jones, Kadian Winter, Michael Moreland

Booked: Camaal Reid (16th), Friend (29th), Bascom (45th), Murray (70th)

Referee: Karl Tyrell

Assistant Referees: Keble Williams, Lloyd Edwards

Fourth Official: Odette Hamilton

Match Commissary: Ewan Scott

— Hurbun Williams