It was a case of so close for Cavalier SC but a show of true championship grit by Arnett Gardens; as the two battled to a hard-fought 2-2 stalemate in a highly entertaining Red Stripe Premier League (RSPL) fixture at Stadium East on Thursday.

If ever there was a team to nudge Arnett Gardens off their unbeaten track in the season so far, it would have, or in this case could have been the youthful Cavalier unit, but it was not to be for the Rudolph Speid-conditioned team.

After being placed comfortably in front courtesy of goals from Kamoy Simpson (24th) and star player Alex Marshall (34th), they failed to contain a marauding Arnett Gardens, who secured a point through Vishinul Harris (45+1) and Fabian Reid (60th).

The point saw the “Junglists”, who are now unbeaten in 11 games, inching up to 23 points atop the standings, while Cavalier remain in sixth position on 16 points.

Arnett Gardens Head Coach Jerome Waite expressed satisfaction with what he deemed a fair result.

“In the first half we created two clear opportunities where we should have at least put away one, but faulty shooting cost us in that aspect. But Cavalier played with purpose and they executed well and went two goals up after that.

“But we had a talk at half-time and you can see where our game lifted, and as a result of that, we managed to score two goals. We probably should have killed off the game, but in the end a draw is a fair result,” Waite told journalists in a post-game interview.

His counterpart Speid felt otherwise.

“I am very disappointed, especially because of the manner in which we conceded. It is not so much that they knock us out, but because we shut off at the end of the first half and they got back in the game pretty early, and the second goal is basically an own goal. So yes, some amount of disappointment with the result.

“I was forced to make a couple changes, so I couldn’t even pressure them, but they were still a threat all the time in offence. But I think I would have enjoyed the game a little bit more if I was in the stands,” said Speid.

With both teams coming into the contest unbeaten in their last five outings, it made for an interesting match-up, especially with the youth versus experience spin to it.

Arnett Gardens showed much life in the early exchanges and Harris had a good look at goal in the 15th minute, but his delay in pulling the trigger allowed the defence to avert the danger.

The Cavalier attacking trio of Marshall, Chevone Marsh and Nicholas Hamilton then made life difficult for the Arnett Gardens backline, which resulted in the go-ahead goal.

A shot by Marshall was charged down by the defender and the resulting corner kick by Hamilton was expertly headed home by an unmarked Simpson at the far post.

Marshall doubled the lead 10 minutes later when he fended off a challenge from two defenders and fired past the diving Damian Hyatt in goal for Arnett Gardens.

However, the champions pulled one back on the stroke of half-time when Harris fired home after being picked out by Steve Clarke to make it 2-1 at the break.

The team talk in the dressing room added some impetus to Arnett Gardens’ fight as they pulled out all the stops on the resumption in pegging back the opponents in the quarter.

They eventually found the equaliser on the hour-mark, when a free kick by Captain Oneil “Bigga” Thompson caught custodian Deron Duncan off his line and in two minds, which allowed Reid to poke home.

Teams:

Cavaliers SC Deron Duncan, Kemar Shaw (Jerome Smith 63rd), Rushawn Plummer, Laston Reid, Nicholas Hamilton, Chevone Marsh, Alex Marshall, Dejanni Isaacs, George Pinnock (Kaheem Parris 76th), Orlando Brown (Oshane Roberts 44th), Kamoy Simpson

Subs not used: Michael Spence, Omar Walcott, David Mitchell, Nickoy Christian, Jamoi Topey

Booked: Isaacs (55th), Pinnock (63rd), Reid (73rd)

Arnett Gardens

Damian Hyatt (Shamar Clayton 53rd), Oneil Thompson, Jabeur Johnson, Jamar Martin, Vishinul Harris, Tamar Edwards, Kenniel Hyde (Lamard Neil 73rd), Oniel Anderson, Fabian Reid, Damari Deacon (Leon Strickland 84th), Steve Clarke.

Subs not used: Ronaldo Wright, Rickardo Oldham, Renae Lloyd, Newton Sterling

Booked: None

Referee: Daneon Parchment

Assistant Referees: Nicholas Anderson, Ojay Duhaney

Fourth Official: Veralton Nembhard

Match Commissary: Margaret Sutherland