Arnett win three in a row

Arnett Gardens continued their fine form in the Wray and Nephew-sponsored Jamaica Premier League with their third consecutive win after dispatching Harbour View 2-1 at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex yesterday.

Jamone Shepherd and Kaheim Dixon scored the decisive goals for the Junglists, while Andre Fagan's late effort proved to be a consolation.

Arnett had the better of the early exchanges and should have found the opener in the 20th minute when Fabian Reid sent Warner Brown through on goal, but the often-reliable striker blazed his effort high and wide.

Arnett came agonisingly close just four minutes later when Reid pulled the ball across the goal for schoolboy standout Dixon, who failed to apply the finishing touch from six yards out.

Former Harbour View maestro Shepherd was the next to pressure the Harbour View backline when he weaved through a series of challenges to fire a shot that rattled off the crossbar in the 28th minute.

Shepherd continued to be a nuisance against his former employers throughout the game. The midfielder forced a save from Glenroy Samuel in the Harbour View goal when he fired on target from the edge of the box.

Shepherd's persistence paid off when he again popped up at the edge of the box, but this time, his low drive to the right of the goalkeeper nestled in the back of the net in the 78th minute.

Arnett doubled their lead just two minutes later when Dixon latched onto a brilliant pass from substitute Kevoan McGregor to fire home past the outstretched arms of Samuel from just outside the box.

Andre Fagan scored a cheeky consolation for Harbour View late in added time when he back-heeled Okemo Jones' delivery into the box to catch Arnett's defence flat-footed.

Arnett's coach, Xavier Gilbert, credited their young players, who he felt were instrumental to the win.

"Yeah, that's it, getting them the exposure and doing what we asked them to do. I think they marketed themselves well, and we're happy. We have young Dixon, who came in today and scored on his debut. It is fantastic," Gilbert said.

Meanwhile, Harbour View's coach, Ludlow Bernard, believed a lack of concentration in the game's latter stages proved to be their undoing.

"The quality of the goals is our lack of concentration. We were right in the game right up to the 70th minute. We have to look at the quality of our physical condition and manage it for the game," Bernard said.

The win moves Arnett Gardens up to fourth in the league's points standing, while Harbour View's woes continue as they sit 11th, just two points ahead of Molynes United.

Meanwhile, in the earlier match at the same venue, Tivoli Gardens defeated Vere United 2-1.