Village United's Newton Sterling (right) dribbles inside Arnett Gardens' Anthowe Dawkins (left), while Kevin Wilson (in the background looks on during the Wray and Nephew National Premier League match at Elliston Wakeland Centre in Falmouth yesterday. - Richard Morais/Freelance Reporter

Nodley Wright, Freelance Writer

"Ha! Ha!", not the typical belly laugh that made him famous in the song "Tink Me Did Dun", was Glendon 'Admiral' Bailey's initial response to yet another loss by his team in the Wray and Nephew National Premier League yesterday.

This time it was a 1-2 loss to Village United at the Elliston Wakeland Centre, following on recent losses to Portmore United and Boys' Town.

That laugh was a transparent mask for his true feelings - disappointment and frustration.

"I know it is not a joke but I have to laugh because as you know football is a sport of discipline. If you do not discipline yourself and follow instructions given then (you will have breakdowns) and that is what happened today," Bailey added later.

"You give instructions and people do not carry them out. For the game Anthowe Dawkins" assignment was to mark Newton Sterling and for the last goal he was standing alone inside the box and we had two defenders around. You cannot win football games like that," he continued venting.

Sterling's second goal, which came in the 84th minute was the result of a good team build-up started by captain for the day, Emeil Thomas, who was lucky to be still on the field at that time following a horrible first half challenge on Leon Strickland, which was only punished by a yellow card.

In the first half Sterling scored a cracker from about 27 yards. He collected a long goal kick from Leighton Murray and slammed past goalkeeper Julian McLeish in the 16th minute.

Arnett Gardens responded 19 minutes later through Shane Edwards popping up unmarked at the far post to head home a ball swung in by Narado Jenkinson from the right side of the field.

Home team dominance

Both teams continued to compete evenly for the duration of the first half before the home team emerged the more dominant force despite the efforts of veterans Kevin Wilson, who was to spoil his game with an ejection in time added for foul and abusive language, and Everton Bunsie, as well as the match-rusty Strickland.

"This is a win that shows that the team has character. We fought to the end and as you noticed we were the team that had the ascendancy towards the end," a pleased Fitzroy 'Johnny' Reid said at the end of the game.

He was full of praise for goalscorer Sterling.

"We have been working on finishing and as you know Sterling is a class player and if given enough service he will produce," he said.

Village have now inched up to seventh spot with 28 points, one above Boys" Town and two below sixth-placed Arnett.

Scores

Village