The look on the face of the people on Humble Lions' team bench depict the gloom of Sunday's first home defeat, after going down 1-2 to Village United, at Effortville Community Centre. - photo by Richard Bryan

If the fans or management of Humble Lions felt competing in the Digicel Premier League would have been difficult, Sunday's home loss to Village United would certainly make them think "it's even harder now".

The league has shown a pattern in the last few years where debutante teams have found the bottom tier of the standings a vice-grip and there is seldom escape from its clutches.

That wasn't the early prospect for the fans at the Effortville ground which had been a bundle of mostly joyous celebrators for the home side, as they had garnered five of their six points there, including a 1-0 win over Boys' Town.

But it was a picture of gloom when referee Raymond Bogle blew the final whistle to end the contest 2-1. The music, so much a feature of the atmosphere, stopped. Instead, recognised faces of management spoke in hushed tones and several players hung their heads in arms with no noticeable rush to leave their team bench on the sidelines.

Dissatisfied spectators

Out in the yard and outside the main gate, some spectators were overheard pointing fingers at the coach for inconsistent selection.

In the centre of the pitch, the usually calm Christopher Bender prodded the ground while folding his arms, the kind of posture that makes you think there is pressure underlining the thoughts going through his head.

"We failed to track, failed to do the basic things in defending and then that final pass and shot was a problem. The fact that we used three keepers says it all about the problem we have in that area."

Bone of contention

The goalkeeper's position is a bone of contention and controversy. The team began with Damion Crooks, who formerly kept for Tivoli Gardens in the premier league. He kept goal for the first four games but eight flew past him, including a hat-trick of goals against Tivoli and Sporting Central. Sheldon Brown, who was a reserve for Portmore United, took over but was felt to have cost the team valuable points in committing real novice errors. That gave the opportunity to Waldo Ricketts, the keeper who had handled the Confed campaign and play-offs.

The Gleaner learnt that Ricketts, who was also the goalie when Sporting Central qualified in 2007, had threatened to walk out of the camp after being ignored for the final 18 in the early games. But his performance on Sunday, showed he too had much to learn.

Twice he appeared to leave his line too early for lofted balls with his defenders in chase, one of which Teofore Bennett slipped embarrassingly over his head for the first goal of the match.

His judgement would again come under scrutiny when he appeared to ill-advisedly stay too close to his goal line and was late in covering a cross which afforded Village's second goal from a header just inside the centre of his six-yard area.

Bender seems clear he has much work ahead as coach.

"I feel if we intend to stay up, we have to improve in all three areas," he told The Gleaner. "I think we are learning but we have to speed up the learning curve."