Maxwell

The players' inability to remain focused for the duration of the match was cited by St Georges Sports Club coach, Geoffrey Maxwell, as the main contributor to their demise against Arnett Gardens in the Digicel Premier League match they lost 2-1 at Lynch Park, Buff Bay, on Sunday.

"We were too relaxed in the first half," Maxwell said. "As a matter of fact, we should have scored two goals in the first half.

"The amazing thing is after conceding two goals we completely dominated the last 15 minutes. We need to maintain that fighting spirit throughout the 90 minutes," the veteran coach pointed out.

Khouri Pickersgill (47th minute penalty) and Newton Sterling (62nd) scored for the Junglists, while Denroy Dennis (74th) pulled back a goal for the Portland team.

Violent conduct

Both teams ended with 10 players after Arnett Gardens defender Desmond Breakenridge was issued a straight red card for violent conduct at the 43rd minute and St Georges' Dwayne Holness picked up a second booking at the 60th.

St Georges took the early challenge to Arnett through Dennis, Daniel Shaw, Damion Harwood and Maurice Jackson, with no fewer than 10 attacks in the first 15 minutes of play.

Their efforts, however, went unrewarded as poor finishing on the part of striker Damion Harwood robbed them of an opener.

What was probably the easiest chance of the first half came in the 20th minute, when Shaw took a free kick from the left flank which found the unmarked Dennis, but the latter headed over the goal.

Arnett were reduced to 10 players when Breakenridge was shown the red card for slapping Barrington James in the face, directly in front of the referee.

The second half saw a more forceful Arnett Gardens as Leon Strickland, Cornel Chin-Sue, Sterling and Pickersgill combined well and started making inroads through the Georges defence.

Penalty kick

The pressure paid of in the 47th minute when Dwayne Holmes brought down an Arnett player inside the 18-yard box and a penalty was awarded. Pickersgill neatly placed the ball to the left of Anthoniel Williams for a one-nil lead.

St Georges were reduced to 10 men in the 60th minute after Holmes and Strickland were involved in an off-the-ball incident and the former picked up a second yellow card.

Two minutes later, Arnett doubled their lead when Sterling headed home a pass from Strickland.

St Georges managed to pull one back in the 74th minute after Reid's free kick found Dennis lurking inside Arnett's 18-yard box and he fired home.

Arnett Gardens' player/coach Fabian Davis was elated with the victory that enabled his team to continue its steady climb up the tables. Back-to-back wins have moved the Kingston team from seventh to fifth in the past two rounds.

"We came here in search of three points and we got that," said Davis, whose team has 43 points, two more than Waterhouse and four above St Georges.

"We know it was always going to be difficult against Georges on their home ground," he added. "But the guys stuck to the game plan and it paid off."