Rivoli's Valentine Gardener celebrates scoring a goal against Reno during the Digicel Premier League match at Spanish Town Prison Oval yesterday. Goals from Devon Hodges (second minute) and Gardener (40) powered Rivoli to a 2-1 victory over Reno, for whom Gary McIntosh (81st) scored. Reno's Omar Dallas picked up a red card in the 75th minute. - Ian Allen/Staff Photographer
Two goals in quick succession from Tivoli winger Orane Simpson kept the west Kingston team's faint title hopes alive, following a 3-2 win over rivals Boys' Town in the Digicel Premier League (DPL) at the Edward Seaga Sports Complex yesterday.
"Our plan is to win the remaining games and see what happens," said Lenworth Hyde Sr, Tivoli Gardens' coach. "We needed this win to keep pace with the leaders. At best, we will finish in second."
In-form striker Roland Dean scored just four minutes into the encounter. Boys' Town's Garfield Gillespie, however, led the fightback, levelling the scores in the 14th minute.
Well worked set-piece
The Red Brigade then pushed ahead from a well worked 43rd minute set-piece, taking advantage of a napping Tivoli backline. George Vernal made the best of the situation by squeezing a quick pass down the right flank to Xavian Virgo, who then played the ball into the path of forward Peter Keyes for an easy tap-in finish.
However, having been forced to replace regular goalkeeper Philmore Crumbie, who struggled with an injury, with the inexperienced Under-21 custodian Shawn Malcolm, the visitors were always going to be stretched to keep the lead.
Things took a turn for the worst when Wayne Ellis was given marching orders in the 58th minute for a tough tackle on Tivoli striker Navion Boyd. Malcolm made a valiant attempt to keep the lead intact, when he got down quickly to palm away a 62nd minute shot by Simpson. However, he was powerless to stop a 85th minute close-range shot from the winger which brought the game level.
Simpson then caused the nervous fans crammed into the stadium to erupt with joy, when he finished off a chance which had fallen his way, after a Boyd cross had been taken down in the area by Dean.
Complacency
Hyde believes a bit of complacency set in after scoring an early goal.
"We kind of got complacent when we scored early and I guess with the change of goalkeeper they thought they would have scored a lot of goals, but he played well," he said.
"I thought the referee might have allowed the game to get out of control, but all things being equal I think it was a good performance from the team," said Boys' Town's coach, Andrew Price.
"They gave as good as they got, defended stoutly, but the red card turned the game in Tivoli's favour and they (Boys' Town) really just tired towards the end," he said.
Standings
| Teams | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | TP |
| Portmore | 34 | 20 | 10 | 4 | 43 | 17 | 70 |
| Tivoli | 35 | 19 | 8 | 8 | 53 | 30 | 65 |
| H View | 34 | 16 | 13 | 5 | 42 | 19 | 61 |
| Boys' Town | 35 | 15 | 9 | 11 | 53 | 45 | 54 |
| Arnett | 34 | 13 | 11 | 10 | 32 | 28 | 50 |
| W'house | 34 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 40 | 40 | 45 |
| St Georges | 35 | 12 | 8 | 15 | 32 | 42 | 42 |
| Rivoli | 35 | 11 | 8 | 16 | 34 | 48 | 41 |
| Sporting | 35 | 8 | 12 | 15 | 33 | 43 | 36 |
| Meadhaven | 35 | 8 | 10 | 17 | 30 | 48 | 34 |
| Village | 35 | 7 | 12 | 16 | 29 | 50 | 33 |
| Reno | 35 | 5 | 14 | 16 | 39 | 50 | 29 |
*Harbour View vs Waterhouse and Portmore United vs Arnett Gardens played late matches last night.