VERE UNITED ON TOP OF THE PREMIER LEAGUE

JAMAICA PREMIER LEAGUE

KINGSTON, JAMAICA

Monday, August 9, 2021

Vere United jumped to the top of the Jamaica Premier League with a 1-0 win over Arnett Gardens and moved a step closer to a playoff berth as the seventh round came to an end today.

The Donovan Duckie-coached Vere United out of Hayes, Clarendon, leapfrogged Portmore United into first place with 14 points from seven games. Portmore is second with 13 points.

In four meetings, Vere is yet to be defeated by former champions Arnett Gardens winning twice and drawing twice since playing top-flight football.

Arnett, who was suffering their fourth loss from six games, stayed second from bottom in the 10th spot on four points.

The Junglists are five points adrift of the last playoff spot and with four games to play, the Alex Thomas-coached young unit still has a very slim chance of making the playoffs.

In the second match at the UWI-JFF Captain Horace Burrell Centre of Excellence, Vere United looked the more purposeful attacking the Arnett Gardens unit every chance they got and were deserved winners.

The red and black-clad Arnett picked up two early yellow cards courtesy of Rushike Kelson 21st and Ezran Simpson in the 22nd and just a minute later, Ricardo Dennis found the winner in the 23rd minute.

Dennis nodded home a Lamard Neil corner kick in the 23rd minute and Vere’s solid defenders led by the no-nonsense Ricardo Campbell did the rest.

Substitute Damari Deacon came on and gave Arnett Gardens some impetus and late on he curled a good effort just high in the 90th minute.

Winning coach Donovan Duckie, who has been doing a fantastic job with the unheralded Vere United, formerly Jamalco FC, was more than pleased with his team’s disciplined tactical performance.

“You have to feel sad for Arnett Gardens and I thought we were also lucky to come away with a point because they moved the ball well, much quicker than we did and in the final third they dominated and I thought they could have scored two or three times,” Duckie pointed out.

“But we were playing to our plan. The evidence is here that we defended creditably well. We made a few errors in the back but in the end, we came out victors,” said Duckie.
“It is something that we are building on, we have to continue to work and we are looking forward to better things next time,” he added.

Despite suffering their fourth defeat from six games, Arnett Gardens head coach Alex Thomas remained optimistic.

“Disappointed performance yes but praises to them they played very well. The goal that scored against us, we lost concentration and we just have to continue learning. This is a young bunch of players and they are developing,” Thomas pointed out.

Man-of-the-Match: Kenroy Lumthen (Vere United)

Teams
Vere United:30-Kadeem Davis, 02-Ricardo Campbell, 03-Kenroy Lumthen, 05-Alton Lewis, 16-Gregory Cousins (13-Anjay Gayle 62nd), 14-Javier Brown (45-Courton Wright 90+2), 17-Ricardo Dennis, 18-Lamard Neil, 09-Ricardo Messam (23-Javel Ellis 75th), 11-Romone Plummer, 20-Trevance Salamon.
Subs not used: 60-Michael Panton, 22-Dunsting Ghen, 12-Tavis Grant.
Coach: Donovan Duckie
Booked: Trevance Salamon 61st

Arnett Gardens: 40-Shaquan Davis, 02-Oneil Anderson (05-Jonoy Cunningham 82nd), 03-Oshane Roberts, 04-Ezran Simpson Jnr, 08-Marlon Martin, 17-Romeo Guthrie, 06-Earl Simpson, 31-Donovan Segree, 27-Steve Clarke, 09-Hardley Barnes (24-Damari Deacon 63rd), 16-Rushike Kelson (18-Shadane Lopez 60th).
Subs not used: 01-Maximus Davis, 15-Nathan Thomas, 11-Shemar Boothe, 22-Kemoy Slowley, 28-Dashawn Bernard, 23-Rayahno Thompson.
Coach: Alex Thomas
Booked: Rushike Kelson 21st, Ezran Simpson Jnr 22nd, Damari Deacon 66th

Referee: Odette Hamilton
Assistant Referee 1: Damian Williams
Assistant Referee 2: Kioney Denton
Fourth Official: Andrew Hayden
Match Commissioner: Raymond Anderson

For more information contact JPL @ jplcomms@gmail.com