Waite let down by Tivoli’s missed chances in Dunbeholden draw
TIVOLI Gardens FC Head Coach Jerome Waite was frustrated with his team’s offensive deficiencies, despite coming from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Dunbeholden in the Wray and Nephew Jamaica Premier League match at Stadium East on Sunday.
In windy conditions Dunbeholden started on the front foot, thanks to a double strike from talisman Nicholas Nelson who moved to six goals for the season. His first was an eighth-minute free kick from the edge of the box and his second was a right-footed strike inside the 18-yard box, which found the bottom corner.
However, Dunbeholden shot themselves in the foot after conceding a penalty when Steven Barnett pulled down Tivoli’s Barrington Pryce in the box. Forward Justin Dunn made no mistake in the 16th minute as he comfortably tucked it away.
That sparked the west Kingston club as three minutes into the second half, danger man Dunn found space and his left-footed strike at the edge of the area beat Dunbeholden goalkeeper Damion Hyatt to make it 2-2.
Tivoli would dominate the remainder of the contest — and got the majority of the chances — but Hyatt came up trumps, denying Dunn his hat-trick with an unorthodox save in the 85th minute and a quick reflex effort to stop Horatio Morgan who was free in the six-yard area.
Waite believes his team should have been the winners on the day.
“This is a game that we should have won easily. We had the breeze against us in the first half in which Dunbeholden scored but we still got back a goal in the first half. In the second half, where we had the breeze in our favour, we created so many chances and didn’t execute. I mean, it is bad! We should have won this game,” he said.
Dunn has been the league’s leading goalscorer and his double moved him to nine for the season, but Waite said he desperately needs support.
“The team is playing well, we don’t have any doubt about that, but we need some players that will make it easier for Dunn because if Dunn doesn’t score, we’re not going to score? It basically means that we’re going to need some more players to make a difference,” Waite said.
Dunbeholden Head Coach Lenworth Hyde, fresh from winning the daCosta Cup with Clarendon College, conceded his team was fortunate to walk away with a point.
“[We were] definitely lucky, and our goalkeeper stepped up and saved the day for us so kudos to him tonight,” Hyde said. “Our defence line needs to be fixed, we need composed players around the back that can pass around the football, and we didn’t have that today. We were panicking.
“The midfield needs to be settled more and enjoy the moment. We are not enjoying, we are playing too keyed up and tense for a big Premier League team so it’s an area we continue to work with them and, hopefully, get some players in January,” he added.
The result sees Tivoli move to 14 points while Dunbeholden are up to nine.
— Daniel Blake