BARIS JOHNSON realised on Sunday the task he faces as new Waterhouse coach, after watching the team he once played for go down 1-0 to 10-man Tivoli Gardens at Drewsland, in Digicel Premier League action.

Striker Roland Dean fired a 31st minute free-kick past Richard McCallum from 20 yards, moving his team to 34 points, whereas Waterhouse stayed sixth on 23 with what was a six-point mid-table cushion now reduced to two by Arnett Gardens.

"We've to change the whole system ... the attitude of the players ... their workload on the field," said Johnson, who took over from another former Waterhouse player, Hugh 'Bingi' Blair, whose short stint ended with Thursday's Jackie Bell knockout loss to Super League team Duhaney Park.

Johnson said his team was not keeping pace with Tivoli in the final 15 minutes of the game and "we've a lot of work to do".

Tivoli took control from the opening whistle with dangerous Navion Boyd almost scoring in the fourth minute off an intended square from the left touchline.

The nippy striker skipped past Andeen Jarrett on the left flank and dribbled to the line where he sent in a cross, which had McCallum doing a double take scrambling to parry for a corner, after losing his grasp and almost turning the ball into his own goal.

Outnumbered

Waterhouse, playing a 5-3-2 formation, were outnumbered in midfield and opted for high balls out of defence, aimed at their strikers, Kevin Lamey and Jermaine Anderson.

However, it took them more than 20 minutes to settle and even so failed to get a shot on target.

Tivoli went ahead in the 31st when another raid on Waterhouse's goal won them a free-kick just outside the box and Dean drilled home his shot to the right of McCallum, who only moved for show, as he had no chance of stopping the ball.

Waterhouse came out strong after the break and Mark Miller just missed the equaliser as he spun his shot wide of the back post a minute later after being fed a perfect pass from Lamey inside the box.

Lance DaCosta, who replaced Jonathan Williams after the break, brought some stability to midfield, supporting Vincent Earle and Kenardo Forbes.

However, Tivoli were still dominant and could have extended their lead in the 49th but Dean unbelievably missed from three yards, stretching to scoop a shot over the bar off Boyd's low cross from the left.

Referee Dwight Royal became a busy man after that, flashing five cards in the next 21 minutes, two to Dean, a yellow and a straight red in the 70th for an assault on McCallum.

However, Waterhouse failed to capitalise on the one-man advantage as McCallum and his defenders kept sending high balls forward instead of trying to break down Tivoli's defence.

Johnson chided his team, saying playing long balls was not Waterhouse's style.

"Even with 15 minutes, the defenders were still going for long balls. We've a lot of work to do," he said.