Cavalier moved a step closer to winning their second Jamaica Premier League (JPL) title on Saturday when they defeated Tivoli Gardens 1-0 at the Captain Horace Burrell Centre of Excellence at the University of the West Indies.

A Collin Anderson strike five minutes before the end of regulation time ensured the victory for Cavalier in the first-leg of their semi-finals tie that will enable an advantage going into the second-leg at the same venue on Wednesday.

Tivoli Gardens will also be without their regular goalkeeper Davin Watkins on Wednesday as he was red-carded by referee Christopher Mason after the match was completed. Watkins allegedly kicked an opponent while the teams were heading off the field, which was spotted by an assistant referee, who reported the incident to Mason.

Tivoli Gardens were playing their third match in one week, while Cavalier were contesting their first in two weeks. The competition’s format allowed direct passage to the semi-finals for Cavalier, while Tivoli Gardens had to contested two legs of the quarter-finals.

The rules state that the top two teams from the preliminary stage of the competition, earn an automatic spot in the semi-finals, while the teams finishing from fourth to sixth contest the quarter-finals. Waterhouse topped the preliminary round with Cavalier finishing second.

In the quarter-finals, preliminary round fourth-placed Tivoli Gardens toppled fifth-placed Vere United 4-0 on aggregate after winning the second-leg 4-0 on Wednesday, after the first-leg was drawn 0-0 the Saturday before.
In the first-leg semi-finals on Saturday, both Cavalier and Tivoli Gardens played a tentative first-half, with very few clear goalscoring opportunities.

Cavalier’s Shaniel Thomas got the first real look at goal early in the second-half but placed the ball wide of the target, after being picked out unmarked by Jeovanni Laing with a cross from the left. Thomas at the near post in the six-yard box had only custodian Watkins to beat.

Tivoli Gardens got their best chance of the match from a quick counter after Cavalier’s Jamoi Topey was stripped of the ball midway through Tivoli Gardens’ half of the pitch.
The ball was played down the left flank to Devroy Grey, who crossed inside to substitute Horatio Morgan at the penalty spot. Morgan, under pressure from the recovering Laing, fired over the crossbar.

Tivoli Gardens’ substitute Anthony Nelson also forced Cavalier custodian Jeadine White into tipping a ball over the crossbar, with a shot from distance.

Cavalier would eventually get the goal, when the speedy Anderson, who was on the field for less than a minute after replacing Thomas, out sped the Tivoli Gardens defence to go around goalkeeper Watkins and score into an empty goal. It came from a quick counterattack with midfielder Nickache Murray providing the through ball.

Coach of Cavalier Rudolph Speid was pleased with the effort of Anderson and Murray for the goal.

“It wasn’t an easy match but we always had a plan. Anderson is the fastest player in the Premier League and with tiring legs that was the right time to introduce him and we got a break.

“Hats off to Nickache Murray, which a lot of people don’t understand that he is probably one of our best players. He kept his composure to make that pass and that was the difference between both teams,” Speid said.

According to Speid, a tactic that worked against Tivoli Gardens also was to use Kamoy Simpson in attack instead of his usual defensive role. He said this was done to nullify Tivoli Gardens’ passing game, by applying early pressure and forcing long passes.

Meanwhile, Tivoli Gardens’ coach Philip Williams, believes that a major factor in their defeat was the eight attempts at goal. He was, however, pleased with the overall effort, as he believes there are positives to carry into the second leg.