Ainsley Walters, Gleaner Writer

CHRISTOPHER JACKSON last night finished off squares from striker Navion Boyd in both halves to hand Tivoli Gardens a well-deserved 2-0 win over champions Portmore United in the Digicel Premier League match at the Edward Seaga Stadium.

Jackson netted in the 42nd and 60th minutes for Tivoli, handing them their fourth home win and a big jump from fifth to third in the standings on 15 points.

Tivoli are now three behind second-place Boys' Town and five off leaders Harbour View with two games left in the race for the first-round final.

Tivoli had Portmore on the back foot for the first 20 minutes with Boyd tormenting defenders on the right flank as his teammates took the champions out of their natural passing game by pressing deep into the visitors' half and playing aggressively.

Tivoli continued breaching Portmore's flanks and showed their intentions in the 20th minute when Jackson broke free down the left flank and crossed to unmarked Navion Boyd, who was called offside as his header beat goalie Dwayne Kerr and hit the crossbar.

Dangerous Portmore almost led in the 24th minute when Carlington Smith turned Jerry Walters on the right side of the box and rolled the ball inside for Anthony Bennett, who scooped his shot well over the crossbar at the high-rise end of the ground.

However, the champions' tactic of having Kerr boot long balls upfield for Smith to chase left them open to counter-attacks and Tivoli did just that, Boyd heeding coach Lenworth Hyde's touchline instructions to keep his crosses low as a 'giant' was in goal for Portmore.

The former national invitee bravely took on Portmore captain Anthony Modeste on the right side of the area, drifted the Grenadian international wide enough to give himself room for a low cross, which Jackson met at the penalty spot to boot past Kerr, spreading his big frame in vain as the ball crashed into the net three minutes before the break.

Winning assist

Another Boyd square should have put Tivoli up 2-0 after the restart but Omar Gordon failed to keep his shot low from in the area, skying his effort from inside the box in the 58th.

However, it did not take long for the nifty Boyd to provide the winning assist, rounding Kerr zipping off his line on the left side of the box before sending in a return pass for Jackson to convert from near six yards.

Portmore fought hard for the equaliser in the final 20 minutes, especially former Tivoli striker Christopher Nicholas, who drilled a shot from the left side of the box, which Leon Gordon did well to stop at his near post.

Smith got the champions' consolation goal in the second minute of stoppage time, scoring a diving header from close range.

Hyde, who led Portmore to the Premier League title in 2002-2003 season, said Tivoli had to take charge at home.

Playing at home

"When you're playing at home, you have to be aggressive, play some good football and score an early goal," he said.

Hyde has his eyes on the first-round final, for which another of his former teams, Harbour View, who dumped him last season, are favourites to qualify.

"We have to be up there with the leaders. If we want to reach the mid-season final, we have to win our next two games. We're not doing too well on the road and that's a concern of mine," he added.

Meanwhile, Portmore assistant coach, Desmond 'Gaddafi' Smith, said his team's lukewarm showing, which has them fifth on 13 points, joined by St Georges, who lead them on goal difference, was no reason to press the panic button.

"It's nothing to be alarmed about," he said. "We just have to get ready for our next game. We have to work on some finishing."