Wadadah rally to hurt complacent Portmore

Ainsley Walters, Freelance Reporter

LAID-BACK Portmore United yesterday paid the price for complacency, squandering a first-half, two-goal lead in a 2-2 draw against relegated Wadadah at Ferdie Neita Park.

Seeking to maintain second place in the standings behind all-but-crowned Harbour View, Portmore seemed poised to hand Wadadah a whipping, controlling play from the opening whistle and going ahead in the 11th minute when Anthony Bennett met Adrian Reid's cross at the far post to volley past Triston Bernard, putting the homesters 1-0 up.

Midfielder Wolry Wolfe netted his second goal in four days 17 minutes later when he hit a stinging grounder from 19 yards, which Bernard failed to collect cleanly and could only watch as the ball spun into the goal.

However, the tide turned in the second half after coach Linval Dixon pulled veteran holding midfielder Christopher Dawes from what he thought was a walkover, calling on the youngster Shantel Mundle at the resumption.

High in attack

Another veteran, Wadadah's Daniel Ricketts, took over midfield and begun spraying passes down the middle, which caught Portmore's defence high in attack.

It took only 14 minutes after the break for Wadadah to pull level when Markeino Gillings scored almost a copy of Bennett's goal, meeting Eion Brown's square at the back post.

Another 14 minutes later, the bustling Ricketts broke free in midfield and played a through pass between Portmore's defence, sending two players one-on-one with goalkeeper Shawn Sawyers.

The national goalie had earlier thwarted a similar play, snatching the ball from under Curtis Palmer well outside his box. However, Steven Irving made no such mistake and casually skipped past the advancing keeper to boot into an empty goal.

"I am really disappointed with our performance," said Dixon, admitting his team gifted Wadadah a point on the road.

"We played around at the back and allowed the game to slip away from us," he added.

Wadadah's coach, Allan Aarons, applauded his team as they left the field.

"It's a weaker Portmore team that we caught today," he said.

"We gave up two early goals but they were playing us on the up, leaving a lot of space at the back," he added.

Aarons admitted Wadadah are on their way to Confederation football but said it's never over until it's over.

"This might stimulate them a bit," he said. "You're never out until you're out," he added.

PORTMORE - 2

- Anthony Bennett 11th, Wolry Wolfe 28th

Wadadah - 2

Markeino Gillings 59th, Stephen Irving 73rd