Nodley Wright, Freelance Writer
SIMPSON
TIVOLI GARDENS made a strong start in the first-leg of the inaugural Wray and Nephew Knock-out Cup with a comfortable 4-1 win over Village United at Elleston Wakeland Centre yesterday.
Orane Simpson (6th), Nicholas McCreath (45th), Christopher Nicholas (84th) and Christopher Jackson in the 88th minute scored for Tivoli Gardens. Tivoli Gardens defender Victor Thompson scored an own in the 88th minute to give Village their only goal.
Yesterday's result will make it very difficult for a weakened Village United team to overhaul Tivoli Gardens in the return-leg on Wednesday. The result also marked the first time in four meetings this football season that Tivoli Gardens got the better of Village United and coach Glendon "Admiral" Bailey credited the result to "a different frame of mind".
"Today we had a different frame of mind and that was a big part of why we won. Village United also helped us in terms of personnel as they were not at their strongest," Bailey said.
MUCH FOR GRANTED
Even with that being the case, Bailey said that his team did not play their best football as they probably took too much for granted and added that the quality of the playing surface disrupted the team's natural rhythm.
Village's Dr. Dean Weatherly blamed his team's performance on tiredness.
"They were tired. They never had enough time to recover," Dr. Weatherly said of his players who returned on Friday and Saturday from a hectic tour of the United States.
The game itself only came to life momentarily as the players were more content to go through the paces. Despite the pace of the game Tivoli Gardens appeared intent on shaking off "the jinx".
The visitors took the lead early through the overlapping Simpson who capitalised on a through pass from Jermaine Johnson. The former Bolton Wanderers and Oldham Athletic player had a hand in the second when he controlled a low cross from Jackson for McCreath to drive home.
Village appeared totally out of the game until Thompson got them back in the game with a strike any forward would be proud of. Village lifted their game thereafter but it would not last as late strikes from substitute Nicholas and Jackson killed them off.
