They didn't spend a single minute on the pitch in Sunday's title-clinching match for Tivoli, against rivals Arnett Gardens, but despite being absent to add the finishing brush-strokes to the west Kingston masterpiece, few would deny the impact that the awesome duo of Roland Dean and Navion Boyd had in a remarkable title run.

Despite having netted some 27 goals between them, half of the team's total, the strikers were forced to play the role of nail-biting spectators in the season decider, having received mandatory suspensions. While an accumulation of yellow cards forced Dean to miss the game, Boyd received a red card in Wednesday's penultimate game against vanquished champions Portmore United.

"It was really tough sitting out such an important game and I was a little upset to be on the sideline," Boyd told The Gleaner.

"But that's why we have a squad of 25 players and the guys really filled in and delivered. In the end, the best team won the premier league title," he said.

fights and quarrels

"Like any other team, we have our fights and quarrels but there is a lot of love and dedication down here and that really counts for a lot."

With eight Digicel Premier League goals to his credit this season, Boyd's pace, skill and intelligent use of the football has made him more than a handful for any defensive unit looking to put the shackles on Tivoli Gardens this season. In fact, combined with Dean, a player with almost identical attributes, the two could lay claim to being the premier league's most lethal pairing.

Having scored 19 goals in the season, Dean finished second in the scoring title race to Rivoli's Devon Hodges, who captured the Golden Boot Award with 25 goals.

disappointed

"Yes, I was disappointed to not have won the golden boot. That was one of the objectives I had set myself this season, I have never won it before," Dean said.

"But I don't even think I have the words to explain what it means to lift this trophy, everyone counted us out," Dean added.

"We never gave up, even at training we believed we could do it. Coach told us just win all five games and we would have a shot. We didn't win all five but we did enough to win."

Despite not being on the pitch for the final whistle, there was plenty of champagne to go round for the team's top two marksmen, as well there should: In the end, after finishing tied with Portmore, it was goals that counted and Tivoli won by a single one.

- Kwesi Mugisa