Peart credits UWI for spirited draw

UWI FC head coach Andrew Peart said his team went above and beyond to grab a 2-2 draw with Mount Pleasant in their Red Stripe Premier League quarter-final first-leg game at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex yesterday. Ramoun Reid (21) and Ryan Miller (67) put UWI in the lead twice, but Suella McCalla (60) and Francois Swaby (81) ensured that Mount Pleasant ended the game on even terms.

Peart, who thought his team was fantastic on the night, said his players outdid themselves.

“The attitude was fantastic, and we scored against a team we haven’t scored on all season,” he said. “But the fact that we got ourselves into offensive positions where we could create chances was good for us. The boys really performed out of their skins to end up with a draw.”

Peart said that he has no fears going to Drax Hall to face the league’s big spenders for the second leg and that he expects his players put in a similar shift.

‘PRESSURE NOT ON US’

“We saw some things that next week we can look to exploit,” he said. “The pressure is not on us; we pretty much surpassed most persons’ expectation by being here. We are doing this to create our own reality, and our reality is that we can go anywhere and perform. We came here and gave up our home ground as we believed this would motivate the players, so next week will be no different. Anywhere we are asked to play or required to play, we will do that,” he said.

Reid headed UWI into the lead from a corner after 21 minutes, but Mount Pleasant fought back and equalised through a header from McCalla on the hour. However, Man of the Match Ryan Miller, restored UWI’s advantage when Ricardo Campbell blocked a shot with his hands inside the box and Miller converted from the penalty spot in the 67th. But Mount Pleasant earned a penalty of their own nine minutes from time when Xavian Virgo was tripped inside the area and Francois Swaby slotted home the resulting kick to level the score at 2-2.

Mount Pleasant coach, Donovan Duckie, was ejected from the sidelines with two minutes remaining for verbally abusing the fourth official. Mount Pleasant assistant coach, Nigel Stewart, said they started the game slowly but will be looking to correct that for the second leg.