Village Hold Tivoli

Village United's Mouracio Gordon (left) skips a challenge from Tivoli Gardens' Jameel Thompson (on ground) as Jerry Walters looks on during their Digicel Premier League football match at the Edward Seaga Sports Complex yesterday. The game ended 0-0. - Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer

Ryon Jones, Gleaner Writer

Tivoli Gardens and Village United remain unbeaten after four set of matches in the third round of the Digicel Premier League, as the two played to a nil-all stalemate at the Edward Seaga SportsComplex yesterday.

The result left both teams in the same position they came into the round, with Tivoli leading the 12-team standings on 48 points, while Village remained ninth, having amassed 29 points.

The teams lacked composure in front of goal as despite creating several scoring chances, they seldom troubled the goalkeepers.

The first chance of the game came the way of Tivoli's Roland Dean in the second minute, as he was fouled just outside the area. He picked himself up and took the resulting free kick, but his effort went straight at Village's keeper, Ryan Cooper.

On minute 22, it was Tivoli's Dane Kelly's turn to force a save out of Cooper, albeit from an acute angle.

The visitors should have made Tivoli pay for their missed opportunities on the stroke of half-time when the ball fell to the unmarked Mouracio Gordon in the area. But he drilled his effort well wide.

Dead-ball specialist

Village came even closer to scoring in the in 68th minute as a 25-yard free kick by their dead-ball specialist, Lance Laing, clipped the crossbar.

Tivoli brought on three fresh strikers in search of the all-important goal, one of whom was Owen Powell in the 70th minute. He got two glorious opportunities to break the deadlock, the first in the 77th minute. However, a combination of Village defenders kept him at bay.

He was presented with an even simpler chance to crown himself in glory on the stroke of full time, but a poor first touch allowed the defenders to recover and make a clearance.

Very disappointed

Tivoli's coach, Glendon 'Admiral' Bailey, who was very disappointed with the result, explained the rationale behind the second-half substitutions.

"We were playing at home, so we tried to go all out for the three points and thought playing the offensive route and trying to get the goal was the option," Bailey explained.

"It still didn't work out, we tried everybody and it still didn't work out," he elaborated.

His counterpart, Nedier Dos Santos was, however, satisfied with the point away from home.

"I am pleased with a point. We could have got a better result because we had some clear chances, but I have to be fair, Tivoli had some chances also. I think the result was fair," he expressed.