Cavalier0

Vere United0

CATHERINE HALL, St James — Defending champions Cavalier FC failed to make up ground in the points tables after they played out a goalless draw with Vere United in their Jamaica Premier League round-17 fixture at the Montego Bay Sports Complex on Sunday.

With five rounds of games to be played before the end of the regular season Cavalier FC missed a good chance to close the gap on fourth-place Mt Pleasant FA, remaining in fifth place on 27 points and one point behind the St Ann-based club that has a game in hand.

It was yet another typical Vere United game that lacked goals and kept the team in 10th position on 15 points, just one more than Molynes United who could pass them.

Vere United’s Coach Donovan Duckie said while he was pleased with his team’s overall performance on Sunday, he was hoping they could have converted at least one of the six chances, at his count, which they created.

Not taking scoring chances, Duckie told the Jamaica Observer, “is the story of the season for us. We are not the team with the greatest depth in the competition but probably one of the best-drilled teams and probably one of the teams with the most commitments — but goals win games”.

Duckie said, game after game they have been competitive and hardly ever were outplayed throughout the season.

“In my mind, the only time we have ever gotten beaten was against Waterhouse — either we beat ourselves or some other external factors. But, I was pleased with the effort today [Sunday],” said the journeyman coach.

Vere United, he said, had fought through several adversities, losing players who were not vaccinated at the start of the season when it was mandated, and losing their number one goalkeeper.

“We had to build with youths but we are seeing some results; at least we are being consistent. And we need to keep coming up with results, and we did it today but I am disappointed as we came up with five or six good chances and saw maybe a half a chance from them — but it’s a work in progress. We are making strides and we have to continue to work.”

Rudolph Speid was just as frustrated on the Cavalier sidelines.

“We had the chances to win but Vere is a team that is hard to score against and so it was always going to be a close game, and they play very organised — so, we are okay with the point,” he noted.

Cavalier FC had the first scoring chance of the game when a mistake in the centre of the Vere United backline in the sixth minute gave Jamaro Calvin a clear shot at goal, with goalkeeper Shaquan Davis at his mercy. But his shot hit the base of the right post.

Javier Brown should have done better at the other end of the pitch in the 16th minute but his shot from the left side of the Cavalier FC penalty box missed the far post by inches.

Vere United took over the game and had two gilt-edged scoring menaces in less than a minute as Ricardo Dennis headed over the crossbar from close range in the 16th minute and Lamar Neil missed their best chance 30 seconds later.

Teams:

Cavalier FC — Vino Barclett, Richard King, Kyle Ming, Dwayne Atkinson, Collin Anderson (Richard Henry-68th), Kimani Gibbons, Gadail Irving (Cleo Clarke-86th), Jalmaro Calvin (Tavar Thompson-68th), Nickache Murray (Malvin Doxilley-58th), Lamounth Rochester, Christopher Pearson

Subs not used: Jeovannie Laing, Marlando Maxwell, Mario Smith

Booked: None

Vere United — Ricardo Campbell, Shaquan Davis, Ricardo Dennis (Ricardo Messam-68th), Lamar Neil, Javier Brown, Ramone Plummer (Trevance Salmon-89th), Alton Lewis, Anjay Gayle (Courton Wright-89th), Kevin Graham, Kenroy Lumthen, Tavis Grant

Subs not used: Michael Panton, Tyrece Harrison, Tyricke Harrison, Alwin Strachin, Dunsting Cohen

Booked: None

Referee: Tyron Robinson

Assistants: Lloyd Edwards, Ricardo McKenzie

Fourth official: Damion Coombs

Match commissary: Gavin McNeil

— Paul Reid