Paul-Andre Walker, Staff Reporter
Portmore United's Anthony Bennett (second left) is tackled Boys' Town's Carlton Aikens (second right), while Fabian Watkins (left), also of Boys' Town, reacts during the Wray and Nephew Knockout Cup first-leg match at Collie Smith Drive yesterday. Boys' Town won 1-0. - JUNIOR DOWIE/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
BOYS' TOWN gained the slightest of advantages in their first round first-leg Wray and Nephew Knock-Out Cup game against Portmore United at Collie Smith Drive Stadium yesterday.
The game ended 1-0 courtesy of a Michael Campbell goal in the 23rd minute to give the Red Brigade real hope for a semi-final berth if they can hold on to a draw come Wednesday.
While Portmore United enjoyed huge chunks of possession, it was Boys' Town that looked the more dangerous team. Their attacks were quick and exposed chinks in the armour of the Anthony Modeste-led back-line at almost every time of the asking.
On one such occasion, Campbell picked up a ball 30 yards from goal and played a pass straight down the centre of Portmore's back four, where George Vernal showed great awareness in playing a beautifully weighted give-and-go with Campbell, who had kept on running.
With the tracking defender desperately late, Campbell ran unto the ball and played a wonderful chip over a fast-approaching Shawn Sawyers.
When the ball careened off the back of the diagonal support post, the crowd roared into life, and were expecting to do so again at the pace that the game was being played. It was not going to happen.
"We got a lot of chances in the second half but we didn't convert them. But we'll take the one-nil advantage," said Boys' Town coach Andrew Price.
SECOND HALF
Portmore started the second half sprightly and should have found a way to equalise, except that Boys' Town's centre half Carlton Aikens wasn't having any of it.
His stout defence, well aided by the tall figure of Oniel Thompson, meant that Portmore would have to wait until another day to get the better of Boys' Town.
"We played stoutly today. I told my team in the half-time break that we had to deny them chances," said Price.
Portmore did have some opportunities though. Rafe Wolfe's powerful header from a corner had Boys' Town's custodian Kirk 'Duppy Man' Porter well beaten, but the crossbar denied him any marks on the scoresheet.
Boys' Town could have also sealed the issue as Vernal had a number of chances that a player of his calibre would be expected to capitalise on.
On one occasion, he was the recipient of a brilliant through ball from Campbell, but gave himself too acute an angle when he tried to go around Sawyers and the chance was lost.
After the game, Portmore coach Paul Young chalked up the loss to "the way the game goes" but promised that it was far from over.
"We were not penetrative, we looked dangerous sometimes but we weren't executing and Boys' Town got a goal against the run of play. That's the way the game goes. We have to get one early in the second-leg and take it from there," said Young.
Price also noted that it was still game on between the two very competitive teams.
"A one-nil advantage against Portmore isn't much but we'll take it," he said.
