TIVOLI Gardens FC clipped Boys’ Town FC 2-1 thanks to Junior Flemmings’ late strike in the Red Stripe Premier League football match at the Edward Seaga Sports Complex yesterday.

Miguel Ricketts opened the scoring for the Tivoli in the 22nd minute, but Peter Keys equalised for the visitors in the 62nd minute. With only nine minutes of regular time remaining, Flemmings was on the end of a smooth Tivoli Gardens move to score and give them all three points.

Courtesy of the win, Tivoli move to 18 points, while Boys’ Town stay on 15.

The game — billed as a derby encounter due to the proximity between Tivoli Gardens and Boys’ Town’s base at the foot of Collie Smith Drive — got off to a fairly even start.

But Tivoli soon went out front when Ricketts worked his way down the right side and cut inside his marker to arrow home a right-footer from the edge of the 18-yard box.

Boys’ Town levelled the score just past the hour mark when a deflected free kick from Keys wrong-footed Tivoli’s goalkeeper Edsel Scott.

Before restarting play, Tivoli’s players protested animatedly to referee Dwight Royal for a couple minutes, arguing that the quick free kick was not preceded by his whistle.

When the game resumed, the tempo lifted as both teams desperately hunted the winner.

However, it was the hosts who regained the lead through Flemmings’ brilliance in the 81st minute. Substitute Jermaine Johnson, the former Reggae Boy, lobbed a pass to Ricketts, who chested down the ball for Flemmings. The young player took a touch and lashed home with ruthless accuracy from inside the box to send the home supporters into wild celebrations.

In another game, struggling Waterhouse and Reno drew 2-2 at the Drewsland complex. Kayce Bromfield got a double for the visitors in minutes 42 nd and 90th, while Andre Lesly did the same for the hosts in the 20th and 36th minutes.

Teams:

Tivoli Gardens — Edsel Scott, Shavar Campbell, Romaine Brackenridge, Barrington Pryce, Shawn McKoy, Christopher Jackson, Andre Morgan, Otis Ffriend (Jermaine Johnson 72nd), Junior Flemmings, Rodico Wellington (Nickoy Christian 74th), Miguel Ricketts (Weston Forrest 90+3)

Subs not used: Davin Watkins, Rohan Reid, Andre McFarlane, Robert Williams.

Booked: McKoy (54th), Wellington (62nd), Flemmings (63rd), Scott (64th), Pryce (69th)

Boys’ Town — Mikhail Harrison, Victor Thompson, Carlos Wright, Daemion Benjamin, Rupert Murray, Garfield Gillespie, Andre Dawson (Shamar Nicholson 86th), Adrian King, Michael Campbell (Tkevin Garnett 86th), Rafiek Thomas, Peter Keys

Subs not used: Leon Goffe, Michael Blygen, Kimarley Fray, Chavanney Willis, Mitchly Waul

Booked: Harrison (26th), Thompson (79th)

Referee: Dwight Royal

Assistant Referees: Princess Brown, Melvin Reid

Fourth Official: Cardella Samuels

Match Commissary: Margaret Sutherland

— Sanjay Myers