UWI edge Reno in ill-tempered match

Reno FC goalkeeper Dennis Keeper saved one penalty and then had another scored on him as visiting UWI FC edged the home team 1-0 in an ill-tempered Red Stripe Premier League game at the Frome Sports Ground yesterday to move to 10 points in the standings.

Roshane Smith converted from the penalty spot in the 86th minute, but it was an 82nd-minute Reno substitution that changed the game in UWI's favour, bringing on Bershan Bryan for the tiring Junior Neil.

Taylor was impressive early in the first half as he denied Kemar Flemmings when he dived to his left to parry a 45th-minute penalty to keep the team level heading into the half-time break.

But all his good work was undone late in the second half as the awfully slow Bryan gave up possession at a critical position on the field, allowing Smith to pounce.

The forward darted inside the area, with Taylor rushing off his line, but the keeper's mistimed grab for the ball upended the UWI player, leaving little for referee Veralton Nembhard to do but point to the spot.

He then stroked the ball off the upright and into the goal to secure the win for UWI, who, up to that point, were willing, it would seem, to settle for a point away from home.

Reno had earlier come close to taking the lead twice, but squandered good chances to leave their supporters equally vexed at the doomed substitution as with the referee's decision.

APPEAL DENIED

It was UWI's third successive victory against Reno at the Frome ground, but they were, indeed, lucky this time around, as Reno also had an appeal for a penalty turned down in the 77th minute.

UWI lost Jamie Robinson, while Reno FC's Omar Johnson were both shown the red card in the 67th minute for striking out at each other during a challenge just outside the Reno 18-yard area, leaving the teams playing the remainder of the match with ten men, respectively.

Andrew Peart, the UWI assistant coach, said they are grateful to have come away with the victory, adding that it was a tough encounter, but that his team's tenacity paid off.

"We made the last penalty count, having missed one earlier in the match, so yes, we are grateful for the win," said Peart.

But a clearly disappointed Wendell Downswell said he has to take responsibility for the substitution that brought Bryan into the play.

"He looked good in training and he had instructions, but it turned out to be a bad change and it cost us at least a point here," Downswell admitted.

"Things like this happen from time to time and we are not happy. We had our chances, but that decision actually took the game from us," he told The Gleaner.