LINVAL Dixon, head coach of Vere United Football Club (FC), said he was pleased with the spirit shown by his players despite having to settle for a 1-1 draw against Tivoli Gardens FC in their Jamaica Premier League opener at the Wembley Centre of Excellence on Sunday.

Vere United looked on course to start their campaign with all three points following a first-half goal from Ricardo Dennis in the 13th minute.

However, Tivoli Gardens produced a late rally and secured what looked an unlikely draw 15 minutes before time when substitute Diego McKenzie found the back of Vere’s net.

“Under the circumstances it was an excellent performance from the guys. Based on the limited players available, I would take the draw. The players really dug in deep and held on in the end,” Dixon, a former national player, told the Jamaica Observer.

“I think if we did have our full team here we would have a better play of football but, again, I must give credit to the players as they led for most of the way and held on in the end for a point,” he said.

Tivoli Gardens’ Head Coach Jermaine Johnson, also a former Reggae Boy, welcomed the point for his team.

“We didn’t play how we wanted to play. We got a point here, and that’s the most important thing as we are not going home with a loss,” he said.

Vere United started off the better of the two teams, enjoying greater possession of the ball and taking more shots at goal.

Dunsting Cohen could have opened the scoring for Vere United but his powerful strike from the top of the box was brilliantly put out for a corner by Nicholas Clarke in the 12th minute.

That corner kick resulted in celebration for the Vere United team as Dennis headed the ball into the back of the net.

After the wake-up call Tivoli Gardens took over proceedings but were unsuccessful in finding the equaliser.

Rodico Wellington’s free kick from 30 yards out, which found the side netting in the 21st minute, and Justin Dunn’s strike over the crossbar in the 30th, were the two occasions on which Tivoli came closest to scoring.

Tivoli Gardens came out firing on the resumption but their strikers failed on numerous occasions to convert clear scoring opportunities.

The hard work finally paid off for Tivoli Gardens, though, in the 75th minute when McKenzie, after cutting across two Vere United players, fired home from the top of the box to level the score. No further goal was scored as the teams were left to settle with a point each.

Teams: Vere United – Rojae Williams, Ricardo Campbell, Ricardo Dennis, Javier Brown, Shamar Oconnor (Deon Reid 82nd), Tavis Grant, Dunsting Cohen, Jamar Wright, Kayon Henry, Donavan Clarke, Warren Clarke

Sub not used: None

Booked: Oconnor (43rd), Dennis (80th)

Tivoli Gardens — Nicholas Clarke, Barrington Pryce, Kemo Simpson, Odean Pennycooke, Tkiven Garnett, Kevin Pilgrim (Kemar Seivwright 45th), Tommy Lawrence (Jrevaune McKain 60th), Dunn, Rodico Wellington (Anthony Nelson 60th), Carlton Salmon (Diego McKenzie 45th), Shaquille Jones

Sub not used: Kewong Watkins, Jah-Neil Wray, Rick-Quan Coke, Nakeel Wright, Horatio Morgan

Booked: None

Referee: Okeito Nicholson

Assistant referees: Kemar Gayle and Joshua Jackson

Fourth official: Carvel Banton

Match commissioner: Patrick Malcolm

SUNDAY’S RESULTS

Humble Lions 0, Dunbeholden 0

Mount Pleasant 2, Faulkland 1

Portmore 1, Montego Bay 1

Vere 1, Tivoli Gardens 1

Waterhouse 2, Molynes 1