Lion humble debutants Treasure Beach

Experience is what Humble Lion coach Andrew Price credits for getting the better of debutants Treasure Beach FC following their 1-0 win in their Jamaica Premier League (JPL) opener at Effortville yesterday.

It took a 73rd-minute penalty from Andrew Vanzie to separate the teams, but Treasure Beach had a creditable performance in a workmanlike display in their first match in top-flight local football.

The Omar 'Rambo' Wedderburn-coached Treasure Beach looked like the JPL veterans in the first stanza, as they knocked around the football and utilised the flanks, which stunned Humble Lion.

In minute 23, Humble Lion had goalkeeper Prince Daniel Smith to thank for not going behind, as his reflexive save off a deflection from a left-sided cross kept the score level at 0-0.

With each ticking minute, Humble Lion coach Andrew Price grew frustrated, and a couple of substitutions in the second half proved the right move as they began to break down the tiring Treasure Beach.

A handball inside the area from Tavar Thompson gave Humble Lion an easy way past the impressive Mowey Morgan in the Treasure Beach goal after the custodian had made several excellent saves up to the 73rd minute.

Vanzie made no mistake from the spot to hand Humble Lion all three points, which was pleasing for coach Price.

"Treasure Beach are new to the league, and we wanted to make sure that we took advantage of that inexperience and the experience of my team on the pitch today was good enough to get the better of them," Price said.

Losing coach Wedderburn wasn't too perturbed about Treasure Beach's debut loss after seeing a lot of positives from his new outfit.

"I thought we gave a good account of ourselves, and I thought we could have done a lot better. Much respect to the Humble Lion team for giving us a hard-fought game. This is our welcome to the league, and we have to build and go forward," Wedderburn said.