St Georges Sports Club goalscorer, Damion Harwood, (second left) celebrates after scoring the first of his two goals against Village United at Jarrett Park on Sunday. St Georges won the game 2-0. - photo by Adrian Frater
Western Bureau:
Despite wasting several easy scoring opportunities, St Georges United, behind a double strike by the hard-working Damion Hardwood, spanked Village United 2-0 on Sunday in the Digicel Premier League game at Jarrett Park in Montego Bay.
St Georges moved to third and 19 points, while Village remained on 12 points at eighth.
St Georges, who entered the game with an outside chance of joining leaders Harbour View in the first end-of-round final, showed much urgency and discipline in their approach and had their strikers been more on target, the margin of victory could have been much wider.
"Our concentration was below our usual standard in the first half and as a result, we wasted a number of good chances," said St Georges coach Geoffrey Maxwell. "We were a little better in the second half, but I still believe we should have scored more goals."
After a somewhat tentative start, St Georges created the first opportunity in the seventh minute when Daniel Shaw fired wide after breaking free before goal.
A minute later, Village countered and missed a similar opportunity when Troy Smith fired straight at the goalkeeper from close range.
Village came to life in the 19th minute when Marrian Grant pounced on a cross before the goal, but directed a glancing header just wide of the goal and the advancing goalkeeper.
After a prolonged period of dominance midway the half when chances were wasted by Harwood and Denroy Dennis, St Georges finally got on the scoresheet in the 36th minute.
Shot found its mark
A defensive blunder in the heart of Village's backline presented Harwood with a clear shot and he booted in, making the half-time score 1-0.
Village started the second half on the hunt for the equaliser and should have got it in the 52nd minute. Grant pounced on a cross before the goal but from six yards, drove his shot high over the crossbar.
St Georges quickly regained control after Village United's missed chance, but they too missed back-to-back chances in the 61st and 64th minutes. First, Hardwood fumbled with the goalkeeper at his mercy, and second, when he got an even easier opportunity, he sprang his opponent's offside trap but fired straight at the goalkeeper.
Hardwood turned from villain to hero in the 66th minute when a horrifying blunder by goalkeeper Kemar Llewelyn left him with an empty goal to aim at, and he nonchalantly made the score 2-0.
"We can't keep playing badly and expect positive results," said Dr Dean Weatherley, Village United's coach. "The goals we gave up were due to sloppy play."