Tie leaves Waterhouse fans frowning
published:
Monday | November 26, 2007
Audley Boyd, Assistant Editor - Sport
Waterhouse striker Bryan Wollaston celebrates scoring a goal during his team's 1-1 draw against St. Georges in a Cash Plus Premier League match at Waterhouse Mini Stadium yesterday. - Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer.
WATERHOUSE MINI STADIUM was fraught with frowns as spectators poured scorn on their team after a frustrating 1-1 draw with newcomers St. Georges Sports Club from Buff Bay, Portland, in a Cash Plus Premier League match yesterday evening.
"It's a poor result at home," remarked Waterhouse's assistant coach, Marcel Gayle, who deputised for the interview as head coach Danilo Barrigga made a quick exit from the grounds.
Peruvian Barrigga, who took up duties at the club this season, is set to end his tenure with the completion of preliminary first round matches on Sunday, December 9.
Brian Wollaston continued his prolific form when he put the homesters ahead with a tap-in goal at the 22nd minute, as the Drewsland team dominated a first half they should have won by more than one goal, given the fact that Kirk Ramsey missed several very easy chances.
They paid dearly in a game that opened up more in the second half, when Denroy Dennis netted the equaliser at the 56th minute - a goal that would cause more hurt for the Waterhouse faithful because of the way it was conceded.
Nice flowing attack
St. Georges, bold in its approach, constructed a nice, flowing attack from which Dale Wallace hit a grounded square one-time. Goalkeeper Richard McCallum, brilliant throughout, converged on the ball in unison with St. Georges' Damion Harwood and Waterhouse defender Marco McDonald. McCallum got to the ball first, but as he tried to evade the forward who was attempting to kick the ball and his defender looking to clear, the ball slipped from his hands and rolled nicely for Dennis to turn into the unprotected goal from about eight yards. St. Georges almost scored seconds later but Omar Davis side-footed Wallace's free kick over the top from six yards.
Action then cranked up a gear with Waterhouse pressing for a go-ahead goal and a resilient and very disciplined St. Georges holding its shape while defending, then counter-attacking confidently with deliberate and measured passing as they pushed forward as a unit.
During the intense struggle St. Georges' Kanute Thompson made a rash challenge on Waterhouse captain Desmond Breakenridge, which led to referee Dwight Royal issuing two red cards - one to Waterhouse's Michael Stone who overreacted to the tackle by physically abusing an opponent; and the other to Thompson.
The expulsions were delayed by a strange sequence of events, as while a number of St. Georges players surrounded the referee on one side of the pitch, Thompson made his way off the field on the other side and put a bib over his jersey then sat on the bench, while a team-mate was at the sideline waiting to replace him. Royal, not to be fooled by the 'backyard football' trick, went over a duly meted out the punishment.
Punishment
"He wasn't trying to evade the punishment," declared St. Georges coach, Donovan Duckie in a post-game interview.
"We were going to make a substitution. His name was already on the desk waiting for a substitution," he added, referring to the fourth official's table.
The game marked by tough challenges then took on an even more open flow, with St. Georges making a dangerous attempt through Dennis' rocket that was spectacularly saved by McCallum, and Ramsey twice missing 'sitters' for Waterhouse, all inside the last 10 minutes. St. Georges climbed to 12 points, while Waterhouse moved to 10 points alongside Sporting Central, Reno and Boys' Town, while St. Georges climbed to 12.
