Treasure Beach, Vere United rue missed opportunities

Treasure Beach and Vere United rued several missed opportunities throughout the match, after playing out a 0-0 draw in the Wray and Nephew-sponsored Jamaica Premier League (JPL) yesterday at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex.

Both teams carved out several chances, but neither could find the decisive goal to capture all three points.

Treasure Beach head coach Victor Ebanks was pleased with their performance but felt a lack of motivation was the reason for their inability to find the winning goal.

"The first half was good and I'm proud of them," Ebanks said. "Tactically we stuck to the system. I think fatigue and coming down to the end of the season, you need that drive and that motivation to say, 'Let's dig a little deeper', but as we are right now, that drive is a little scarce."

It was a game of two halves in the Monday Night fixture as both teams enjoyed sustained attacking pressure on either side of the halftime whistle.

Treasure Beach had the better opportunities in the first half but failed to capitalise on their chances.

The St Elizabeth-based Treasure Beach could not find the final touch in the final third, despite the playmaking skills of Romario Bryan and Shanoy Smith.

Their first clear opportunity came in the opening minutes when Bryan played in Tedlar Parchment. With only the goalkeeper to beat, Parchment fired wide of the post from 12 yards out.

Treasure Beach came close again after a cross from Smith found Tavar Thompson free in the box, however, Thompson failed to convert.

Vere nearly opened the scoring at the stroke of halftime, but their effort ricocheted off the crossbar.

Vere would find better footing in the second half and create their own opportunities, but as their opponents did in the first half, they also failed to convert.

Vere United head coach Linval Dixon said he believed a lack of motivation saw his team giving a subpar performance.

"It's not our best game," Dixon said. "I think we weren't motivated to play. We were flat; very flat but we still fought and got the clean sheet, so that's always a plus. We continue and hope to come out next week and put on a better show."

The draw sees Vere United staying ninth in the table on 27 points, while Treasure Beach, having already been relegated, sit 13th on 13 points.

In the day's earlier game, Harbour View fell 3-0 to Montego Bay United at the same venue.