Cavalier punish 10-man Molynes

Cavalier took full advantage of playing against 10 men for the last 11 minutes to blank Molynes United 3-0 in the Wray and Nephew-sponsored Jamaica Premier League (JPL) yesterday at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex in Arnett Gardens.

The winners overran their opponents after Jermy Nelson was sent off in the 79th minute for a second bookable offence.

Jalmaro Calvin gave his team the lead in the 35th minute, but after Nelson was dismissed, Dwayne Allen (83rd) and Shaniel Thomas (85th) made two lightning strikes to seal the three points for Cavalier, who leaped into the playoff spots, 21 points and fifth place, ahead of Dunbeholden, who are in sixth spot. Molynes remained just above the relegation zone with eight points in 12th place.

After a cagey opening half, Molynes United upped the tempo in the second half in pursuit of an equaliser.

However, their momentum was thwarted when defender Nelson was sent off following a second caution. Attempting to break up a Cavalier counterattack, Nelson appeared to use the top of his arm to block a forward pass, a decision that referee Andrew Hayden punished with a second yellow card.

Cavalier then capitalised on their numerical advantage to take full control late in the game.

Molynes United coach Jermaine Thomas said the red-card decision changed the course of game.

“We were in it, we came back, we made some tactical switches, and it worked. We wanted to match up with Cavalier, and we did that, but losing Nelson at that time was really crucial, and I think we paid for that,” a fuming Thomas told The Gleaner after the final whistle.

According to Thomas the referee made a bad decision.

“As a coach, you speak against the referee, you’re punished. But when they make wrong decisions, they come back the next week and officiate. Your club would have spent thousands of dollars, and we get calls like these and we have to take them,” Thomas said.

Earlier Cavalier had wasted several chances in the first half, with forward Thomas the main offender.

Coach Rudolph Speid expressed concern about his team’s inability to finish off games.

“My thoughts on the game are that we were wasteful, and we need to work on that. Some of those chances that we got and missed, in a more competitive game, it can hurt us,” he said.

In the day’s second game at the same venue Arnett Gardens blanked Treasure Beach 2-0. The scorers for the winners were veteran Fabian Reid in the 56th minute and 21 year-old Rushike Kelson in the 62nd.

Arnett are in fourth spot with 24 points, the same as third-place Tivoli Gardens. Treasure Beach are in 13th place with seven points.