Bernard left seething after H’View squander two-goal lead against Arnett
Harbour View Head Coach Ludlow Bernard was extremely disappointed with his team after squandering a two-goal lead in their 2-2 draw with Arnett Gardens in their opening game of the Wray & Nephew Jamaica Premier League on Monday at Stadium East.
The “Stars of the East”, who were inactive for the first two match days due to their participation in the Concacaf Caribbean Cup, were dominant in the first half with two brilliant goals from former Arnett star Ajuma Johnson and Shaquille Bradford.
However, Arnett took control in the second 45 as Jamone Shepherd and Kimani Arbouine levelled proceedings. The Junglists had opportunities to win the game but were unable to find a third as they kept their unbeaten three-game run.
Despite coming away with a point, Bernard believes his team should have managed the game better.
“It really amounted to gross indiscipline on our part. We demanded concentration, we demanded professionalism at the beginning of the second half. Those two goals we conceded rattled our team severely,” he said.
“I think this game should have been dead and buried from the first half with the multiple opportunities we had to score but we scuffed them. But it was a good game for the spectators and good for the league with two top teams,” Bernard added.
Meanwhile, Vere United Head Coach Linval Dixon was proud of his team’s attacking output after beating Tivoli Gardens 2-1 in the early game, also at Stadium East.
Goals from Dunsting Cohen and Suejay Graham were enough to inflict a first defeat for Jerome Waite as Tivoli Boss.
Dixon believed lengthy preparation led to a better showing than their opening contest against Molynes United which ended goalless.
“After our first game, we could have gotten more based on the chances we created. For two weeks, we worked in front of goal to see how we can maximise the opportunities we get and today we scored two and that says a lot for the team and I’m sure this can be a boost for the attacking side. We know we still have to defend because we gave up a goal and our concentration broke down but we will get it right as we go along,” said Dixon.
The Wray & Nephew Jamaica Premier League continues on Thursday with Harbour View taking on last season’s beaten finalists Cavalier in a rescheduled encounter.