It is becoming a lecture of “Football 101” when The University of the West Indies (UWI) face Tivoli Gardens in the Red Stripe Premier League (RSPL), as they once again schooled their opponents with a lopsided 4-0 scoreline in Monday’s curtain-raiser at the National Stadium.

Goals from Anthony Greenland (39th minute), Girvon Brown (45+3), Captain Rochane Smith (72nd) and substitute Akeem Thenstead (88th), propelled the university team to a fifth victory over their West Kingston opponents from six meetings.

With the emphatic win the Marcel Gayle-coached UWI FC, in their second season in the nations’ top-flight league, has opened up a four-point gap atop the 12-team standings on 50 points from 26 games.

Tivoli Gardens, having played one game less, remain in third position on 45 points, one behind second-placed Humble Lion on 46 points.

Coming off a hard-fought 2-1 victory against Portmore United on last, Tivoli Gardens would have entered the contest on a high, but they were soon brought back to reality as they stared down the barrel of defeat at the end of the first 45 minutes.

Both teams were evenly poised in the early exchanges, but Tivoli suffered an early blow after being forced to replace Shavar Campbell who picked up a knee injury in the 25th minute.

UWI took advantage 14 minutes later when Greenland shook his marker and slotted into an empty net after custodian Edsel Scott unnecessarily left his line.

As if things could not get any worse for Tivoli, they were forced into a second substitution when point man Elton Thompson suffered a suspected fractured nose and was taken out in the 42nd minute.

UWI again hit where it hurts most, courtesy of a lovely right-sided cross from Jerondy Henry, which proved too hot to handle for Scott and Brown graciously accepted at the far post and fired home to make it 2-0 at the break.

The momentum stuck with UWI on the resumption, despite signs of life from the now demoralised Tivoli unit who had a mere two sniffs at goal about 10 minutes in.

From there it was all UWI, as they asserted their authority with a few colourful build-ups and delightful long passes which left the Tivoli midfield and defence beaten.

They increased the lead when substitute Andrae Bernal laid off a back pass for his captain to pull the trigger without hesitation — a beautiful one-time effort that left Scott beaten all ends up.

Bernal, who entered the contest in the 64th minute, was forced to exit after his lingering hamstring injury came to the fore. He was replaced by Thenstead in the 84th minute and the substitute wasted little time to impact the outcome.

The diminutive and fleet-footed Thenstead was assisted by Davion Garrison in getting behind the Tivoli defensive line, where he left goalkeeper Scott for dead in a one-on-one situation before driving home a powerful left-footer two minutes from time.

Smith, who moved to seven goals, was beaming about the performance.

“I wouldn’t say we have their ticket; it is just that we stick to our game plan every time and we just play basic football and it worked out.

“It is also a great feeling for me knowing that I was on six goals for a long period and was under pressure from my teammates, so it is good for me to be back on the scoresheet now,” he told journalists in a post-game interview.

Omar Edwards, head coach of Tivoli Gardens, bemoaned a lack of discipline on the part of a few senior players.

“It is a tough loss; it was not the result we played for and a little indiscipline creep inside, hence you see the end results. But nonetheless, we win together as a team and we lose together as a team, so we just have to regroup and come again,” he noted.

Teams:UWI FC — Amal Knight, Rochane Smith, Taniel McKenzie, Kemar Flemmings, Deno Schaffe, Davion Garrison, Jerondy Henry, Anthony Greenland(Andrae Bernal 64th (Akeem Thenstead 84th), Girvon Brown(Patrick Brown 77th), Kemoy Atkinson, Keammar DaleySubs not used: Nicholas King, Nicholas McMorris, Deighton Stuart, Jamie RobinsonBooked: Daley (28th), Schaffe (67th)Tivoli Gardens — Edsel Scott, Shavar Campbell (Mitchily Waul 25th), Barrington Pryce, Romaine Brakenridge, Nicholas Smith, Rohan Reid, Tevin Shaw, Miquel Ricketts (Jermaine Parris 63rd), Junior McGregor, Jermaine Johnson, Elton Thompson (Peter Keyes 42nd)Subs not used: Nicholas Clarke, Arthur Walters, Rushane Facey, Howard MorrisBooked: Pryce (59th), Shaw (75th), Brakenridge (86th)Referee: Daneon ParchmentAssistant Referees: Nicholas Anderson, Ojay Duhaney, Fourth Official: Veralton NembhardMatch Commissary: Martin Lyn

Teams:

UWI FC — Amal Knight, Rochane Smith, Taniel McKenzie, Kemar Flemmings, Deno Schaffe, Davion Garrison, Jerondy Henry, Anthony Greenland(Andrae Bernal 64th (Akeem Thenstead 84th), Girvon Brown(Patrick Brown 77th), Kemoy Atkinson, Keammar Daley

Subs not used: Nicholas King, Nicholas McMorris, Deighton Stuart, Jamie Robinson

Booked: Daley (28th), Schaffe (67th)

Tivoli Gardens — Edsel Scott, Shavar Campbell (Mitchily Waul 25th), Barrington Pryce, Romaine Brakenridge, Nicholas Smith, Rohan Reid, Tevin Shaw, Miquel Ricketts (Jermaine Parris 63rd), Junior McGregor, Jermaine Johnson, Elton Thompson (Peter Keyes 42nd)

Subs not used: Nicholas Clarke, Arthur Walters, Rushane Facey, Howard Morris

Booked: Pryce (59th), Shaw (75th), Brakenridge (86th)

Referee: Daneon Parchment

Assistant Referees: Nicholas Anderson, Ojay Duhaney,

Fourth Official: Veralton Nembhard

Match Commissary: Martin Lyn