Oraine Simpson (front, right), who scored the winning goal, celebrates with his Tivoli teammates after winning the Digicel Premier League title, folowing their 1-0 victory against Arnett Gardens at the Edward Seaga Sports Complex yesterday. - Winston Sill / Freelance Photographer
Tivoli Gardens capped off a stellar come-from-behind run by winning the Digicel Premier League title, snatching the trophy from Portmore United by the narrowest of margins, following a 1-0 win over Arnett Gardens at the Edward Seaga Sports Complex yesterday.
The win saw the west Kingston team end on 72 points - the same as Portmore - but moved one ahead to 24 in the goal difference category courtesy of Orane Simpson's 30th minute penalty that sealed yesterday's win.
Portmore United and Harbour View, who could also have won the title with a win, played their way to a 0-0 draw at the Harbour View Mini Stadium.
"It was discipline, hard work and the never say die attitude of the players," said an elated Tivoli Gardens coach, Lenworth Hyde Sr.
"We told them at the start of the round we had to win all our games and we would have a shot at the title. But even if we had been second I would have been proud of them and the effort they put in, it would have been a win for me," he added.
"It's means a lot to me. This is where I'm from so it's extra special to bring a title here," Hyde said.
10 points behind
Finding themselves all of 10 points behind the leaders heading into the final game of the third round, not many would have given Tivoli a chance.
Despite already being out of the running, Arnett Gardens certainly made a match of the proceedings and led by spirited play up front from forward Newton Sterling, they took the game to the home team.
Decisively leaving his line in the 30th minute however, Arnett goalkeeper Damion Hyatt was adjudged to have brought down Simpson at the top of the area. Simpson coolly converted the penalty, which kissed the inside of the left post.
Tivoli were forced to play without both top strikers Roland Dean and Navion Boyd, who were suspended for the fixture.
Meadhaven United joined Reno as teams leaving local top flight football after they played their way to a 1-1 draw with Reno. The finish was just as tight at the foot of the table as Meadhaven went out on goal difference despite being tied on 39 points with Sporting Central, which lost 2-1 to Village in their final game at the Elliston Wakeland Centre. Village finished on 40 points.
In other games, Waterhouse got the better of Boys' Town 2-1 at Drewsland, while Devon Hodges added two more to his tally in a 2-1 win for Rivoli over St Georges at Lynch Park. Hodges ended the season as the league's top scorer with 25 goals.