Despite giving up a last-gasp winner to Tivoli Gardens FC on Monday, Treasure Beach FC Head Coach Omar “Rambo” Wedderburn is confident his team can compete with the best in the Wray & Nephew Jamaica Premier League this season.

The newcomers from St Elizabeth lost 3-2 at Stadium East, but were on their way to a valuable point after coming from two goals down.

Justin Dunn and Jah-Neil Wray gave Tivoli a two-goal advantage but Treasure Beach came alive in the final 10 minutes of the match as an 80th-minute strike from Tavar Thompson and an 89th-minute effort from Romario Smith levelled the game.

However, with the last attack of the match in the fifth minute of stoppage time, Tivoli’s Alton Lewis volleyed home from a floating corner kick to break the hearts of the visitors.

Wedderburn believes his goalkeeper Mowey Morgan could have prevented the defeat but was heartened by his team’s overall response.

“Honestly, I can’t even explain. From my perspective, the keeper should really leave his line and challenge for the ball. He’s young but I don’t think he’s mature enough in this competition. We all are young to this competition but we planning to stick together and give it our best shot because I’m a student to the competition likewise the majority of the players. But we [are] going to stick as a bunch because our main objective is to remain in the competition. We’re going to win some, we’re going to lose some, but it’s what we do after we lose a game. I really feel proud of the players to come from a 2-0 margin and show that we are here to play,” he said.

Though lying 11th in the standings on seven points after six matches, Wedderburn has renewed confidence in his team’s abilities.

“We really came and showed that we aren’t a foolish team. This have to be our mini drive to the next game. I really proud, not that we lost game but that we showed guts and showed we are here to play, no free three points is here, I can tell you that,”

Tivoli Head Coach Jerome Waite also praised his opponents but was satisfied his team ended up on the winning side.

“Well tried Treasure Beach. It was a game of two halves, we lead early in the game. We created numerous chances, we should have put away the game in the first half. Nevertheless, we got a second goal and created more chances to put away the game. Treasure Beach showed they are a fighting bunch, they fought well but in the end, we showed them that we needed the points more than them and we got that late goal,” said Waite.

The win pushed Tivoli into the top three on 13 points, level on points with Waite’s former club Arnett Gardens and five behind leaders and defending champions Mount Pleasant Academy.

The Wray & Nephew Premier League continues this Sunday and Monday with seven matches. Only five were played this match week due to Cavalier’s and Harbour View’s participation in the Concacaf Caribbean Cup.