Rasbert Turner, Gleaner Writer
SPANISH TOWN:
TIVOLI AND Rivoli played to a 1-1 scoreline in their Wray and Nephew National Premier League football match yesterday afternoon courtesy of goals from Craig Stewart and Dwayne Ford respectively.
The result put Rivoli on 15 points while Tivoli have now moved to 29.
Coach of Rivoli, Calvert Fitzergerald said his team lacks fitness "We know that we could not run at Tivoli for 90 minutes as we were not as fit. However, we still think that giving up a soft goal is what cost us two points. We are thankful, however, and this will help us to move forward more purposefully as we will be working on the fitness of the players."
Tivoli's coach Glendon 'Admiral' Bailey said: "We are thankful for this result, having been reduced to nine men and fight through the game to the extent where we get a point. I am thankful as a point is better than none at all."
The match before a packed Spanish Town Prison Oval saw both teams playing attacking football from the opening whistle. Rivoli took the lead in the 11th minute through a penalty from Dwayne Ford, this after Devon Hodges was fouled in the goal area.
ONE-GOAL ADVANTAGE
Bouyed by the one-goal advantage Rivoli played a better first half.
Upon the resumption things changed as the regrouped Tivoli started to put pressure on their less-fancied opponents with the likes of Waheem Walker, Jermaine Johnson, Craig Walker and Roland Dean who gave the Rivoli defence lots of work.
The game turned sour, however, in the 65th minute when Dwight James of Rivoli and Tivoli's Horace Howell were ejected from the field by referee Courtney Campbell, for un-sportsmanlike behavior, reducing the teams 10 each.
Rivoli got the equaliser in the 67th minute after the combination of Johnson and Stewart saw the latter scoring a tame left-footed grounder from the top of the penalty box, making it 1-1.
In the 80th minute, the referee was at it again, this time Rivoli's Kemar Mills got a ball on the left-wing, started to dribble down field and received a late tackle from Tivoli's Victor Thompson. The latter received a red card.
GOALSHEET
RIVOLI 1
Dwayne Ford 11th (pen.)
TIVOLI 1
Craig Stewart 67th
